Crime in Greyfriars, Bedford: statistics, rates and trends
1,896 crimes were recorded in Greyfriars, Bedford in the 12 months to July 2026, 418.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 11% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Greyfriars, Bedford at a glance
- Crime trends in Greyfriars, Bedford
- Types of crime in Greyfriars, Bedford
- Greyfriars, Bedford compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Greyfriars, Bedford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Greyfriars, Bedford
- Population and deprivation in Greyfriars, Bedford
- Questions about crime in Greyfriars, Bedford
- About this data
1,896 crimes were recorded in Greyfriars, Bedford in the 12 months to July 2026, 418.8 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 11% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 661 reports (35% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Greyfriars, Bedford has the 30th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Greyfriars, Bedford | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 1,896 | 18,267 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 418.8 | 93.7 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +11% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 4,527 | 194,976 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Greyfriars, Bedford was highest in the year to July 2018 (2,609 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2021 (1,654). Over the whole period it fell 27%, against a fall of 4% 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 | 1,896 | 418.8 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 1,713 | 378.4 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 1,802 | 398.1 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 1,754 | 387.5 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 1,789 | 395.2 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 1,654 | 365.4 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 1,859 | 410.6 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 2,358 | 520.9 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 2,609 | 576.3 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 227 |
| June 2026 | 177 |
| May 2026 | 191 |
| April 2026 | 150 |
| March 2026 | 148 |
| February 2026 | 142 |
| January 2026 | 114 |
| December 2025 | 124 |
| November 2025 | 157 |
| October 2025 | 167 |
| September 2025 | 133 |
| August 2025 | 166 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Greyfriars, 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 violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour, shoplifting.
The largest increases were in robbery (+44%) and possession of weapons (+43%). The largest falls were in bicycle theft (-38%) and other crime (-33%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 661 | 146.0 | 4.26 | +17% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 265 | 58.5 | 3.82 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 195 | 43.1 | 5.20 | +20% |
| Public order | 168 | 37.1 | 5.59 | +18% |
| Other theft | 139 | 30.7 | 4.80 | +36% |
| Drugs | 84 | 18.6 | 5.68 | -11% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 81 | 17.9 | 2.64 | +17% |
| Burglary | 76 | 16.8 | 4.75 | +0% |
| Vehicle crime | 49 | 10.8 | 2.20 | -20% |
| Robbery | 46 | 10.2 | 7.52 | +44% |
| Bicycle theft | 39 | 8.6 | 10.47 | -38% |
| Possession of weapons | 33 | 7.3 | 7.51 | +43% |
| Other crime | 31 | 6.8 | 3.24 | -33% |
| Theft from the person | 29 | 6.4 | 3.79 | +7% |
Violence and sexual offences in Greyfriars, Bedford
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 661 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (146.0 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 17% on the year before. It made up 34.9% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Greyfriars, Bedford
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 265 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (58.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 5% on the year before. It made up 14.0% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Greyfriars, Bedford
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 195 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (43.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 20% on the year before. It made up 10.3% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Greyfriars, Bedford
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 168 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (37.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and up 18% on the year before. It made up 8.9% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Greyfriars, Bedford
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 139 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (30.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 36% on the year before. It made up 7.3% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Greyfriars, Bedford
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 84 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (18.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 11% on the year before. It made up 4.4% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Greyfriars, Bedford
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 81 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (17.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and up 17% on the year before. It made up 4.3% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Greyfriars, Bedford
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 76 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (16.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 4.0% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Greyfriars, Bedford
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 49 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (10.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 20% on the year before. It made up 2.6% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Greyfriars, Bedford
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 46 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (10.2 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 44% on the year before. It made up 2.4% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Greyfriars, Bedford
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 39 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (8.6 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 38% on the year before. It made up 2.1% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Greyfriars, Bedford
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 33 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and up 43% on the year before. It made up 1.7% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Greyfriars, Bedford
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 31 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 33% on the year before. It made up 1.6% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Greyfriars, Bedford
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 29 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.4 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 7% on the year before. It made up 1.5% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Greyfriars, Bedford, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Greyfriars, Bedford.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Greyfriars, Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harpur | 1,487 | 160.0 | -62% |
| Queens Park | 845 | 82.9 | -80% |
| Cauldwell | 1,793 | 144.4 | -66% |
| De Parys | 532 | 73.0 | -83% |
| Castle & Newnham | 1,507 | 174.5 | -58% |
| Kempston North | 302 | 77.9 | -81% |
| Kingsbrook | 1,787 | 161.2 | -62% |
| Biddenham | 250 | 54.9 | -87% |
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 Greyfriars, Bedford over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Gwyn Street | 173 |
| On or near Dane Street | 132 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 119 |
| On or near River Street | 110 |
| On or near Paradine Court | 101 |
| On or near Rutland Road | 101 |
| On or near Harpur Square | 99 |
| On or near A5141 | 87 |
| On or near St Paul'S Square | 86 |
| On or near Horne Lane | 82 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Greyfriars, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 604 | 31.9% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 556 | 29.3% |
| Not recorded | 265 | 14.0% |
| Under investigation | 222 | 11.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 86 | 4.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 51 | 2.7% |
| Local resolution | 39 | 2.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 32 | 1.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 0.8% |
| Offender given a caution | 12 | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 12 | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% |
Greyfriars, Bedford has an estimated population of 4,527. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Greyfriars, Bedford sits in decile 1.0, more deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Greyfriars, Bedford |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 18.8% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 72.9% |
| Aged 65 and over | 8.4% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 22.8% |
| Social rented homes | 28.7% |
| Private rented homes | 48.2% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 1.0 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 100.0% |
Is Greyfriars, Bedford a safe place to live?
Greyfriars, Bedford recorded 418.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, higher 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 Greyfriars, Bedford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 661 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (265).
Is crime in Greyfriars, Bedford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Greyfriars, Bedford was up 11% on the year before: 1,896 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 1,713 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Greyfriars, Bedford?
Greyfriars, 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 Greyfriars, Bedford. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.