Crime in Leagrave: statistics, rates and trends
751 crimes were recorded in Leagrave in the 12 months to August 2026, 65.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (313), anti-social behaviour (112) and vehicle crime (62) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,404th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Leagrave | Luton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 751 | 22,028 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 65.8 | 92.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -1% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 11,419 | 239,090 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Leagrave peaked in the year to August 2018 (987 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (731). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 24%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 751 | 65.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 755 | 66.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 776 | 68.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 731 | 64.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 894 | 78.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 804 | 70.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 844 | 73.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 851 | 74.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 987 | 86.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 65 |
| July 2026 | 55 |
| June 2026 | 72 |
| May 2026 | 54 |
| April 2026 | 63 |
| March 2026 | 77 |
| February 2026 | 56 |
| January 2026 | 53 |
| December 2025 | 53 |
| November 2025 | 74 |
| October 2025 | 73 |
| September 2025 | 56 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and burglary (48% below) and criminal damage and arson (38% below) were well below it. On the year before, other theft rose from 39 to 49 and other crime rose from 21 to 25, while burglary fell from 33 to 21 and drugs fell from 45 to 34.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 313 | 27.4 | 34.2 | +12% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 112 | 9.8 | 15.4 | -4% |
| Vehicle crime | 62 | 5.4 | 5.0 | +2% |
| Public order | 58 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Other theft | 49 | 4.3 | 6.4 | +26% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 48 | 4.2 | 6.7 | -16% |
| Drugs | 34 | 3.0 | 3.3 | -24% |
| Other crime | 25 | 2.2 | 2.1 | +19% |
| Burglary | 21 | 1.8 | 3.6 | -36% |
| Possession of weapons | 11 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 11 | 1.0 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 1 | 0.1 | 8.5 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Leagrave; the highest is Beech Hill (76.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Poets (53.7).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Leagrave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sundon Park | 629 | 72.6 | +10% |
| Poets | 399 | 53.7 | -18% |
| Lewsey | 677 | 65.2 | -1% |
| Challney | 1,290 | 72.0 | +9% |
| Northwell | 1,103 | 68.8 | +5% |
| Saints | 809 | 57.9 | -12% |
| Bramingham | 896 | 62.2 | -5% |
| Beech Hill | 1,180 | 76.8 | +17% |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Leagrave over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Barley Lane” (29).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Barley Lane | 29 |
| On or near The Green | 28 |
| On or near Glaisdale | 27 |
| On or near The Hedgerow | 27 |
| On or near Westerdale | 27 |
| On or near Chatteris Close | 26 |
| On or near Acworth Crescent | 24 |
| On or near Progress Way | 20 |
| On or near Wetherne Link | 20 |
| On or near Boxted Close | 19 |
Of the 639 crimes in Leagrave with a recorded outcome, 29% 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 112 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 304 | 47.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 187 | 29.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 42 | 6.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 30 | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 24 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 16 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 15 | 2.3% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 11 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Leagrave has an estimated population of 11,419 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (31%, against 17%), more children (24%, against 18%) and more residents with no qualifications (23%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Leagrave average decile 3.4 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Leagrave | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 13.8% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 54.2% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 16.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 9.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 27.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 24.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 53.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 31.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 3.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Leagrave a safe place to live?
Leagrave recorded 65.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,404th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Leagrave?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 313 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (112).
Is crime in Leagrave going up or down?
Recorded crime in Leagrave was almost unchanged on the year before: 751 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 755 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Leagrave?
About 11,419 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Leagrave?
Leagrave 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.