Crime in Kempston West: statistics, rates and trends
281 crimes were recorded in Kempston West in the 12 months to July 2026, 58.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 4% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Kempston West at a glance
- Crime trends in Kempston West
- Types of crime in Kempston West
- Kempston West compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Kempston West
- What happened after crimes were reported in Kempston West
- Population and deprivation in Kempston West
- Questions about crime in Kempston West
- About this data
281 crimes were recorded in Kempston West in the 12 months to July 2026, 58.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 4% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 130 reports (46% of the total).
Of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site, Kempston West has the 2,678th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Kempston West | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 281 | 18,267 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 58.1 | 93.7 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -4% | +2% | -1% |
| Population | 4,833 | 194,976 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Kempston West was highest in the year to July 2024 (362 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2020 (94). Over the whole period it rose 158%, 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 | 281 | 58.1 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 292 | 60.4 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 362 | 74.9 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 300 | 62.1 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 271 | 56.1 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 327 | 67.7 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 94 | 19.4 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 110 | 22.8 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 109 | 22.6 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 31 |
| June 2026 | 20 |
| May 2026 | 20 |
| April 2026 | 29 |
| March 2026 | 26 |
| February 2026 | 23 |
| January 2026 | 19 |
| December 2025 | 17 |
| November 2025 | 23 |
| October 2025 | 25 |
| September 2025 | 20 |
| August 2025 | 28 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Kempston West 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. The largest increases were in violence and sexual offences (+15%). The largest falls were in anti-social behaviour (-23%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 130 | 26.9 | 0.79 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 40 | 8.3 | 0.54 | -23% |
| Other theft | 23 | 4.8 | 0.74 | +53% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 21 | 4.3 | 0.64 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 20 | 4.1 | 0.84 | +0% |
| Public order | 15 | 3.1 | 0.47 | -17% |
| Burglary | 8 | 1.7 | 0.47 | -33% |
| Other crime | 8 | 1.7 | 0.78 | -33% |
| Drugs | 7 | 1.4 | 0.44 | +600% |
| Possession of weapons | 4 | 0.8 | 0.85 | +0% |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.6 | 0.75 | +0% |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.2 | 0.02 | -93% |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 0.12 | -50% |
Violence and sexual offences in Kempston West
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Kempston West recorded 130 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (26.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 15% on the year before. It made up 46.3% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Kempston West
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Kempston West recorded 40 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (8.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 14.2% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Kempston West
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Kempston West recorded 23 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 53% on the year before. It made up 8.2% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Kempston West
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Kempston West recorded 21 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 9% on the year before. It made up 7.5% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Kempston West
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Kempston West recorded 20 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 7.1% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Kempston West
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Kempston West recorded 15 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 17% on the year before. It made up 5.3% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Kempston West
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Kempston West recorded 8 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 33% on the year before. It made up 2.8% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Kempston West
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Kempston West recorded 8 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 33% on the year before. It made up 2.8% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Kempston West
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Kempston West recorded 7 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 600% on the year before. It made up 2.5% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Kempston West
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Kempston West recorded 4 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 1.4% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Kempston West
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Kempston West recorded 3 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 1.1% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Kempston West
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Kempston West recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 93% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Kempston West
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Kempston West recorded 1 report in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.2 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and down 50% on the year before. It made up 0.4% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the neighbourhoods closest to Kempston West, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Kempston West.
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kempston West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kempston Central & East | 1,232 | 123.6 | +113% |
| Kempston South | 349 | 84.7 | +46% |
| Great Denham | 270 | 59.9 | +3% |
| Kempston North | 302 | 77.9 | +34% |
| Wootton & Kempston Rural | 326 | 32.7 | -44% |
| Queens Park | 845 | 82.9 | +43% |
| Cauldwell | 1,793 | 144.4 | +148% |
| Biddenham | 250 | 54.9 | -6% |
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 Kempston West over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Oliver Close | 42 |
| On or near Molly Moore Avenue | 26 |
| On or near Fletcher Road | 14 |
| On or near A6 | 12 |
| On or near Crouch Gardens | 10 |
| On or near Manor Drive | 10 |
| On or near Manor Road | 10 |
| On or near Saunders Field | 10 |
| On or near Eugster Avenue | 8 |
| On or near Hilton Close | 8 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Kempston West 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 107 | 38.1% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 64 | 22.8% |
| Not recorded | 40 | 14.2% |
| Under investigation | 28 | 10.0% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 12 | 4.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 3.6% |
| Status update unavailable | 7 | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 1.4% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 1.4% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 1.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% |
Kempston West has an estimated population of 4,833. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Kempston West sits in decile 7.3, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Kempston West |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.5% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 64.5% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.0% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.7% |
| Private rented homes | 15.8% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 |
Is Kempston West a safe place to live?
Kempston West recorded 58.1 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 Kempston West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 130 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (40).
Is crime in Kempston West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kempston West was down 4% on the year before: 281 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 292 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Kempston West?
Kempston West 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 Kempston West. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.