Crime in Kempston West: statistics, rates and trends
277 crimes were recorded in Kempston West in the 12 months to August 2026, 57.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- 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
- Demographics of Kempston West
- Questions about crime in Kempston West
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (134), anti-social behaviour (43) and other theft (22) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,725th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Kempston West | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 277 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 57.3 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 4,833 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Kempston West peaked in the year to August 2024 (357 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (108). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 145%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 277 | 57.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 302 | 62.5 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 357 | 73.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 301 | 62.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 275 | 56.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 306 | 63.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 126 | 26.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 108 | 22.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 113 | 23.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 24 |
| 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 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and anti-social behaviour (42% below) and criminal damage and arson (36% below) were well below it. On the year before, anti-social behaviour fell from 53 to 43.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 134 | 27.7 | 34.2 | +15% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 43 | 8.9 | 15.4 | -19% |
| Other theft | 22 | 4.6 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 21 | 4.3 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 18 | 3.7 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Public order | 13 | 2.7 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 7 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 1.4 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Drugs | 6 | 1.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Kempston West; the highest is Cauldwell (145.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Wootton & Kempston Rural (34.3).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kempston West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kempston Central & East | 1,238 | 124.2 | +117% |
| Kempston South | 364 | 88.4 | +54% |
| Great Denham | 263 | 58.4 | +2% |
| Kempston North | 303 | 78.2 | +36% |
| Wootton & Kempston Rural | 342 | 34.3 | -40% |
| Queens Park | 877 | 86.1 | +50% |
| Cauldwell | 1,806 | 145.5 | +154% |
| Biddenham | 244 | 53.6 | -6% |
The 10 locations below account for 53% of the crime recorded in Kempston West over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Oliver Close” (41).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Oliver Close | 41 |
| On or near Molly Moore Avenue | 25 |
| On or near Fletcher Road | 14 |
| On or near A6 | 13 |
| On or near Crouch Gardens | 11 |
| On or near Saunders Field | 11 |
| On or near Manor Drive | 10 |
| On or near Manor Road | 9 |
| On or near Riverview Way | 7 |
| On or near The Dell | 7 |
Of the 234 crimes in Kempston West with a recorded outcome, 25% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.7% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 43 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 106 | 45.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 59 | 25.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 27 | 11.5% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 11 | 4.7% | 1.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 11 | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 6 | 2.6% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 4 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 3 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 2 | 0.9% | 0.0% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.4% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Kempston West has an estimated population of 4,833 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (11%, against 23%), fewer residents with no qualifications (11%, against 18%) and fewer retired residents (14%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Kempston West average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Kempston West | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 22.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 72.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 13.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 35.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 11.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Kempston West a safe place to live?
Kempston West recorded 57.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,725th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Kempston West?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 134 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (43).
Is crime in Kempston West going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kempston West was down 8% on the year before: 277 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 302 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Kempston West?
About 4,833 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 13% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Kempston West?
Kempston West 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.