Crime in Kempston South: statistics, rates and trends
364 crimes were recorded in Kempston South in the 12 months to August 2026, 88.4 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Kempston South at a glance
- Crime trends in Kempston South
- Types of crime in Kempston South
- Kempston South compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Kempston South
- What happened after crimes were reported in Kempston South
- Demographics of Kempston South
- Questions about crime in Kempston South
- About this data
Crime map
Shoplifting (113), violence and sexual offences (86) and anti-social behaviour (56) made up 70% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,547th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Kempston South | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 364 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 88.4 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 4,119 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Kempston South peaked in the year to August 2019 (701 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (268). 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 | 364 | 88.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 368 | 89.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 380 | 92.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 268 | 65.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 353 | 85.7 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 400 | 97.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 573 | 139.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 701 | 170.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 586 | 142.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 38 |
| July 2026 | 36 |
| June 2026 | 24 |
| May 2026 | 24 |
| April 2026 | 34 |
| March 2026 | 33 |
| February 2026 | 39 |
| January 2026 | 36 |
| December 2025 | 25 |
| November 2025 | 34 |
| October 2025 | 23 |
| September 2025 | 18 |
Compared with England and Wales, Kempston South recorded notably more shoplifting (3.2 times the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (39% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 45 to 56, while public order fell from 40 to 24.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 113 | 27.4 | 8.5 | +12% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 86 | 20.9 | 34.2 | -7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 56 | 13.6 | 15.4 | +24% |
| Public order | 24 | 5.8 | 6.7 | -40% |
| Vehicle crime | 17 | 4.1 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 14 | 3.4 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 13 | 3.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other theft | 13 | 3.2 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 2.7 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 8 | 1.9 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 1 | 0.2 | 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 Kempston South; the highest is Greyfriars, Bedford (433.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Kempston West (57.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kempston South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kempston Central & East | 1,238 | 124.2 | +41% |
| Kempston West | 277 | 57.3 | -35% |
| Kempston North | 303 | 78.2 | -12% |
| Cauldwell | 1,806 | 145.5 | +65% |
| Great Denham | 263 | 58.4 | -34% |
| Queens Park | 877 | 86.1 | -3% |
| Greyfriars | 1,963 | 433.6 | +391% |
| Kingsbrook | 1,889 | 170.4 | +93% |
The 10 locations below account for 73% of the crime recorded in Kempston South over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Shopping Area” (61).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Shopping Area | 61 |
| On or near The Hollies | 59 |
| On or near Race Meadows Way | 55 |
| On or near Harrier Way | 21 |
| On or near Polo Field Way | 15 |
| On or near Magnolia Close | 14 |
| On or near Elstow Road | 12 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 12 |
| On or near The Almonds | 10 |
| On or near The Rowans | 8 |
Of the 308 crimes in Kempston South with a recorded outcome, 47% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 56 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 146 | 47.4% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 85 | 27.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 40 | 13.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 22 | 7.1% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 6 | 1.9% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 1.0% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 2 | 0.6% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Kempston South has an estimated population of 4,119 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less social housing (5.2%, against 17.1%), fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%) and more home ownership (79%, against 63%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Kempston South average decile 6.6 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Kempston South | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 62.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.4% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 25.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 78.8% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 5.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Kempston South a safe place to live?
Kempston South recorded 88.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,547th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Kempston South?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 113 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (86).
Is crime in Kempston South going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kempston South was down 1% on the year before: 364 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 368 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Kempston South?
About 4,119 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Kempston South?
Kempston South 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.