Crime in Heath & Reach: statistics, rates and trends
317 crimes were recorded in Heath & Reach in the 12 months to August 2026, 71.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Heath & Reach at a glance
- Crime trends in Heath & Reach
- Types of crime in Heath & Reach
- Heath & Reach compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Heath & Reach
- What happened after crimes were reported in Heath & Reach
- Demographics of Heath & Reach
- Questions about crime in Heath & Reach
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (86), anti-social behaviour (69) and other theft (41) made up 62% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,181st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Heath & Reach | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 317 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 71.1 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 4,460 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Heath & Reach peaked in the year to August 2019 (546 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2022 (312). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 38%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 317 | 71.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 333 | 74.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 376 | 84.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 347 | 77.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 312 | 70.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 344 | 77.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 466 | 104.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 546 | 122.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 511 | 114.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 28 |
| July 2026 | 30 |
| June 2026 | 28 |
| May 2026 | 38 |
| April 2026 | 28 |
| March 2026 | 31 |
| February 2026 | 25 |
| January 2026 | 14 |
| December 2025 | 18 |
| November 2025 | 25 |
| October 2025 | 18 |
| September 2025 | 34 |
Compared with England and Wales, Heath & Reach recorded notably more other theft (43% above the national rate) and vehicle crime (26% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (44% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 43 to 69, while criminal damage and arson fell from 41 to 30 and violence and sexual offences fell from 105 to 86.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 86 | 19.3 | 34.2 | -18% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 69 | 15.5 | 15.4 | +60% |
| Other theft | 41 | 9.2 | 6.4 | +2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 30 | 6.7 | 6.7 | -27% |
| Vehicle crime | 28 | 6.3 | 5.0 | -3% |
| Public order | 18 | 4.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 12 | 2.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 9 | 2.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.6 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Robbery | 7 | 1.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 1.6 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Heath & Reach; the highest is Dunstable Central (107.3 per 1,000) and the lowest Eaton Bray (44.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Heath & Reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leighton-Linslade North | 806 | 48.3 | -32% |
| Leighton-Linslade South | 1,453 | 88.9 | +25% |
| Leighton-Linslade West | 710 | 53.3 | -25% |
| Eaton Bray | 172 | 44.9 | -37% |
| Dunstable North | 619 | 63.2 | -11% |
| Houghton Regis West | 1,142 | 92.0 | +29% |
| Houghton Regis East | 1,161 | 93.0 | +31% |
| Dunstable Central | 838 | 107.3 | +51% |
The 10 locations below account for 47% of the crime recorded in Heath & Reach over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Stanbridge Road” (28).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Stanbridge Road | 28 |
| On or near Clifford Close | 22 |
| On or near Dunstable Road | 17 |
| On or near Parking Area | 15 |
| On or near Blackhill | 12 |
| On or near Hockley Court | 12 |
| On or near Manor Avenue | 12 |
| On or near Gipsy Lane | 11 |
| On or near Thrift Road | 11 |
| On or near Greenacres | 10 |
Of the 248 crimes in Heath & Reach with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 69 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 106 | 42.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 85 | 34.3% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 18 | 7.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 14 | 5.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 7 | 2.8% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 5 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 1.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Heath & Reach has an estimated population of 4,460 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (6.6%, against 23.3%), fewer students (4.1%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (11%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Heath & Reach average decile 4.7 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Heath & Reach | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 15.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 26.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 33.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 6.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 79.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 9.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 11.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.7 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Heath & Reach a safe place to live?
Heath & Reach recorded 71.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,181st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other theft and vehicle crime.
What is the most common crime in Heath & Reach?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 86 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (69).
Is crime in Heath & Reach going up or down?
Recorded crime in Heath & Reach was down 5% on the year before: 317 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 333 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Heath & Reach?
About 4,460 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Heath & Reach?
Heath & Reach is policed by Bedfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.