Crime in Riverfield: statistics, rates and trends
285 crimes were recorded in Riverfield in the 12 months to August 2026, 71.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Riverfield at a glance
- Crime trends in Riverfield
- Types of crime in Riverfield
- Riverfield compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in Riverfield
- What happened after crimes were reported in Riverfield
- Demographics of Riverfield
- Questions about crime in Riverfield
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (63), shoplifting (47) and anti-social behaviour (45) made up 54% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,168th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Riverfield | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 285 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 71.4 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +6% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 3,994 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Riverfield peaked in the year to August 2018 (493 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (270). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 42%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 285 | 71.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 270 | 67.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 304 | 76.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 311 | 77.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 358 | 89.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 365 | 91.4 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 439 | 109.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 482 | 120.7 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 493 | 123.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 32 |
| July 2026 | 37 |
| June 2026 | 23 |
| May 2026 | 23 |
| April 2026 | 37 |
| March 2026 | 20 |
| February 2026 | 16 |
| January 2026 | 19 |
| December 2025 | 22 |
| November 2025 | 18 |
| October 2025 | 23 |
| September 2025 | 15 |
Compared with England and Wales, Riverfield recorded notably more other theft (63% above the national rate) and shoplifting (39% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (54% below) and anti-social behaviour (27% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 29 to 45 and shoplifting rose from 33 to 47, while violence and sexual offences fell from 85 to 63.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 63 | 15.8 | 34.2 | -26% |
| Shoplifting | 47 | 11.8 | 8.5 | +42% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 45 | 11.3 | 15.4 | +55% |
| Other theft | 42 | 10.5 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Vehicle crime | 18 | 4.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Public order | 17 | 4.3 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 16 | 4.0 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 13 | 3.3 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 1.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Drugs | 6 | 1.5 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 1.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 3 | 0.8 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 1 | 0.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Riverfield; the highest is Greyfriars, Bedford (433.6 per 1,000) and the lowest Renhold & Ravensden (41.9).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Riverfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldington | 935 | 101.5 | +42% |
| Castle & Newnham | 1,499 | 173.6 | +143% |
| Putnoe | 385 | 47.3 | -34% |
| De Parys | 539 | 73.9 | +4% |
| Kingsbrook | 1,889 | 170.4 | +139% |
| Renhold & Ravensden | 133 | 41.9 | -41% |
| Cauldwell | 1,806 | 145.5 | +104% |
| Greyfriars | 1,963 | 433.6 | +508% |
The 10 locations below account for 75% of the crime recorded in Riverfield over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Heather Gardens” (62).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Heather Gardens | 62 |
| On or near Chapel Close | 48 |
| On or near Parking Area | 35 |
| On or near Kimble Drive | 26 |
| On or near Brunel Road | 10 |
| On or near Bryony Close | 10 |
| On or near Harpenden Close | 6 |
| On or near Honeysuckle Way | 6 |
| On or near Mitre Close | 6 |
| On or near Mountbatten Place | 6 |
Of the 240 crimes in Riverfield with a recorded outcome, 47% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.9% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 45 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 113 | 47.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 67 | 27.9% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 28 | 11.7% | 11.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 4.2% | 2.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 7 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 5 | 2.1% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 3 | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 1.2% | 3.1% |
| Offender given a caution | 2 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
Riverfield has an estimated population of 3,994 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (14%, against 23%), less social housing (11%, against 17%) and fewer students (5.6%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Riverfield average decile 6.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Riverfield | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 65.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 14.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.5% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.9% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Riverfield a safe place to live?
Riverfield recorded 71.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,168th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other theft and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Riverfield?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 63 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (47).
Is crime in Riverfield going up or down?
Recorded crime in Riverfield was up 6% on the year before: 285 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 270 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Riverfield?
About 3,994 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Riverfield?
Riverfield 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.