Crime in Luton, Medway: statistics, rates and trends
1,454 crimes were recorded in Luton, Medway in the 12 months to August 2026, 140.5 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 5% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Luton, Medway at a glance
- Crime trends in Luton, Medway
- Types of crime in Luton, Medway
- Luton, Medway compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Luton, Medway
- What happened after crimes were reported in Luton, Medway
- Demographics of Luton, Medway
- Questions about crime in Luton, Medway
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (585), anti-social behaviour (283) and criminal damage and arson (114) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 527th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Luton, Medway | Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,454 | 29,963 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 140.5 | 102.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -5% | -3% | -1% |
| Population | 10,351 | 292,655 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Luton, Medway of any year here (1,454 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 27%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,454 | 140.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,536 | 148.4 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,814 | 175.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,725 | 166.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,041 | 197.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,036 | 196.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,778 | 171.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,784 | 172.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,990 | 192.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 144 |
| July 2026 | 144 |
| June 2026 | 116 |
| May 2026 | 106 |
| April 2026 | 129 |
| March 2026 | 134 |
| February 2026 | 116 |
| January 2026 | 116 |
| December 2025 | 111 |
| November 2025 | 103 |
| October 2025 | 106 |
| September 2025 | 129 |
Compared with England and Wales, Luton, Medway recorded notably more possession of weapons (2.2 times the national rate), other crime (92% above the national rate) and anti-social behaviour (78% above the national rate). On the year before, burglary rose from 33 to 44 and anti-social behaviour rose from 240 to 283, while vehicle crime fell from 77 to 53 and criminal damage and arson fell from 164 to 114.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 585 | 56.5 | 34.2 | -14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 283 | 27.3 | 15.4 | +18% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 114 | 11.0 | 6.7 | -30% |
| Other theft | 88 | 8.5 | 6.4 | +5% |
| Shoplifting | 85 | 8.2 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Public order | 61 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -12% |
| Vehicle crime | 53 | 5.1 | 5.0 | -31% |
| Drugs | 51 | 4.9 | 3.3 | -28% |
| Burglary | 44 | 4.3 | 3.6 | +33% |
| Other crime | 42 | 4.1 | 2.1 | -21% |
| Possession of weapons | 22 | 2.1 | 1.0 | +10% |
| Robbery | 12 | 1.2 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 7 | 0.7 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Luton, Medway; the highest is Fort Pitt (283.4 per 1,000) and the lowest Princes Park, Medway (63.8).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Luton, Medway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham Central & Brompton | 3,304 | 164.8 | +17% |
| Gillingham South | 3,072 | 178.8 | +27% |
| Watling | 1,924 | 120.1 | -14% |
| Fort Pitt | 3,397 | 283.4 | +102% |
| Princes Park | 650 | 63.8 | -55% |
| Wayfield & Weeds Wood | 1,083 | 105.7 | -25% |
| Gillingham North | 1,907 | 113.5 | -19% |
| Rochester East & Warren Wood | 1,255 | 89.4 | -36% |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Luton, Medway over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Maida Road” (102).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Maida Road | 102 |
| On or near Parking Area | 69 |
| On or near Short Street | 68 |
| On or near Constitution Hill | 61 |
| On or near Seymour Road | 49 |
| On or near Oliver Close | 43 |
| On or near Joiners Court | 41 |
| On or near Sawyers Court | 41 |
| On or near A2 | 40 |
| On or near Luton Road | 40 |
Of the 1,171 crimes in Luton, Medway with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 283 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 532 | 45.4% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 340 | 29.0% | 35.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 88 | 7.5% | 5.2% |
| Under investigation | 66 | 5.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 50 | 4.3% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 30 | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 30 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 23 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Luton, Medway has an estimated population of 10,351 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (32%, against 20%), a younger population (11%, against 19%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (22%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Luton, Medway average decile 2.0 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | Luton, Medway | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 11.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 5.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 14.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.4% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 21.9% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 24.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 30.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 49.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 32.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.0 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 52.8% | 10.1% (England) |
Is Luton, Medway a safe place to live?
Luton, Medway recorded 140.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 527th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were possession of weapons and other crime.
What is the most common crime in Luton, Medway?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 585 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (283).
Is crime in Luton, Medway going up or down?
Recorded crime in Luton, Medway was down 5% on the year before: 1,454 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,536 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Luton, Medway?
About 10,351 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 11% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Luton, Medway?
Luton, Medway is policed by Kent.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.