Crime in Great Denham, Bedford: statistics, rates and trends
270 crimes were recorded in Great Denham, Bedford in the 12 months to July 2026, 59.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Great Denham, Bedford at a glance
- Crime trends in Great Denham, Bedford
- Types of crime in Great Denham, Bedford
- Great Denham, Bedford compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Great Denham, Bedford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Great Denham, Bedford
- Population and deprivation in Great Denham, Bedford
- Questions about crime in Great Denham, Bedford
- About this data
270 crimes were recorded in Great Denham, Bedford in the 12 months to July 2026, 59.9 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and almost unchanged on the year before. The most common offence was anti-social behaviour, with 90 reports (33% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Great Denham, Bedford has the 2,601st highest crime rate.
| Measure | Great Denham, Bedford | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 270 | 18,267 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 59.9 | 93.7 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +0% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 4,506 | 194,976 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Great Denham, Bedford was highest in the year to July 2025 (270 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2023 (202). Over the whole period it rose 14%, against a fall of 6% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 270 | 59.9 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 270 | 59.9 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 253 | 56.1 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 202 | 44.8 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 224 | 49.7 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 236 | 52.4 | 102.1 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 34 |
| June 2026 | 29 |
| May 2026 | 23 |
| April 2026 | 22 |
| March 2026 | 41 |
| February 2026 | 7 |
| January 2026 | 17 |
| December 2025 | 16 |
| November 2025 | 12 |
| October 2025 | 13 |
| September 2025 | 26 |
| August 2025 | 30 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Great Denham, Bedford over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for anti-social behaviour.
The largest increases were in anti-social behaviour (+48%) and other theft (+15%). The largest falls were in vehicle crime (-46%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 90 | 20.0 | 1.30 | +48% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 79 | 17.5 | 0.51 | -8% |
| Vehicle crime | 27 | 6.0 | 1.22 | -46% |
| Other theft | 23 | 5.1 | 0.80 | +15% |
| Public order | 19 | 4.2 | 0.63 | +19% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 9 | 2.0 | 0.29 | -36% |
| Other crime | 5 | 1.1 | 0.53 | +25% |
| Burglary | 4 | 0.9 | 0.25 | -56% |
| Drugs | 4 | 0.9 | 0.27 | -33% |
| Robbery | 4 | 0.9 | 0.66 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.7 | 0.81 | -25% |
| Shoplifting | 3 | 0.7 | 0.08 | n/a |
Anti-social behaviour in Great Denham, Bedford
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 90 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (20.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 48% on the year before. It made up 33.3% of all crime in the area.
Violence and sexual offences in Great Denham, Bedford
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 79 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (17.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 29.3% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Great Denham, Bedford
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 27 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 46% on the year before. It made up 10.0% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Great Denham, Bedford
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 23 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 15% on the year before. It made up 8.5% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Great Denham, Bedford
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 19 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 19% on the year before. It made up 7.0% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Great Denham, Bedford
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 9 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 36% on the year before. It made up 3.3% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Great Denham, Bedford
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 5 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 25% on the year before. It made up 1.9% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Great Denham, Bedford
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 56% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Great Denham, Bedford
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 33% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Great Denham, Bedford
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Great Denham, Bedford
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 25% on the year before. It made up 1.1% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Great Denham, Bedford
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Great Denham, Bedford recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and with no comparable figure for the year before. It made up 1.1% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Great Denham, Bedford, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Great Denham, Bedford.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Great Denham, Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kempston North | 302 | 77.9 | +30% |
| Kempston West | 281 | 58.1 | -3% |
| Biddenham | 250 | 54.9 | -8% |
| Kempston Central & East | 1,232 | 123.6 | +106% |
| Queens Park | 845 | 82.9 | +38% |
| Kempston South | 349 | 84.7 | +41% |
| Greyfriars | 1,896 | 418.8 | +599% |
| Cauldwell | 1,793 | 144.4 | +141% |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Great Denham, Bedford over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 29 |
| On or near Greenkeepers Road | 19 |
| On or near Saxon Way | 17 |
| On or near Queen Eleanor Drive | 16 |
| On or near Banbury Heath | 12 |
| On or near King Alfred Way | 12 |
| On or near Downham Close | 10 |
| On or near Cantley Road | 9 |
| On or near Hovingham Drive | 9 |
| On or near Ryder Close | 8 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Great Denham, Bedford over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Not recorded | 90 | 33.3% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 65 | 24.1% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 63 | 23.3% |
| Under investigation | 25 | 9.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 10 | 3.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 2.6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 5 | 1.9% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 1.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.4% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% |
Great Denham, Bedford has an estimated population of 4,506. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Great Denham, Bedford sits in decile 7.0, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Great Denham, Bedford |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 29.5% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 66.8% |
| Aged 65 and over | 3.7% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.5% |
| Social rented homes | 13.9% |
| Private rented homes | 14.6% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.0 |
Is Great Denham, Bedford a safe place to live?
Great Denham, Bedford recorded 59.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Great Denham, Bedford?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 90 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (79).
Is crime in Great Denham, Bedford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Great Denham, Bedford was almost unchanged on the year before: 270 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 270 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Great Denham, Bedford?
Great Denham, Bedford is policed by Bedfordshire. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Great Denham, Bedford. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.