Crime in South, Luton: statistics, rates and trends
1,866 crimes were recorded in South, Luton in the 12 months to August 2026, 147.6 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 3% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in South, Luton at a glance
- Crime trends in South, Luton
- Types of crime in South, Luton
- South, Luton compared with nearby neighbourhoods
- Streets with the most crime in South, Luton
- What happened after crimes were reported in South, Luton
- Demographics of South, Luton
- Questions about crime in South, Luton
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (484), anti-social behaviour (307) and shoplifting (227) made up 55% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 452nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | South, Luton | Luton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,866 | 22,028 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 147.6 | 92.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -3% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 12,643 | 239,090 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in South, Luton peaked in the year to August 2018 (3,273 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (1,812). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 43%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,866 | 147.6 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,917 | 151.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,927 | 152.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,967 | 155.6 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,823 | 144.2 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,812 | 143.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,892 | 228.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,989 | 236.4 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,273 | 258.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 144 |
| July 2026 | 192 |
| June 2026 | 197 |
| May 2026 | 174 |
| April 2026 | 169 |
| March 2026 | 124 |
| February 2026 | 129 |
| January 2026 | 136 |
| December 2025 | 133 |
| November 2025 | 150 |
| October 2025 | 169 |
| September 2025 | 149 |
Compared with England and Wales, South, Luton recorded notably more vehicle crime (3.4 times the national rate), drugs (2.6 times the national rate) and shoplifting (2.1 times the national rate). On the year before, drugs rose from 72 to 107 and other theft rose from 132 to 155, while other crime fell from 38 to 23 and public order fell from 116 to 89.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 484 | 38.3 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 307 | 24.3 | 15.4 | -11% |
| Shoplifting | 227 | 18.0 | 8.5 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 214 | 16.9 | 5.0 | -18% |
| Other theft | 155 | 12.3 | 6.4 | +17% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 119 | 9.4 | 6.7 | +14% |
| Drugs | 107 | 8.5 | 3.3 | +49% |
| Public order | 89 | 7.0 | 6.7 | -23% |
| Burglary | 62 | 4.9 | 3.6 | +2% |
| Robbery | 30 | 2.4 | 1.4 | +11% |
| Other crime | 23 | 1.8 | 2.1 | -39% |
| Theft from the person | 22 | 1.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 21 | 1.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 6 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than South, Luton; the highest is Central, Luton (448.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Vauxhall, Luton (57.4).
| Neighbourhood | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs South, Luton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central | 3,706 | 448.8 | +204% |
| Farley | 2,019 | 117.0 | -21% |
| High Town | 1,364 | 109.4 | -26% |
| Round Green | 733 | 64.9 | -56% |
| Vauxhall | 456 | 57.4 | -61% |
| Dallow | 872 | 85.7 | -42% |
| Biscot | 698 | 61.4 | -58% |
| Beech Hill | 1,180 | 76.8 | -48% |
The 10 locations below account for 48% of the crime recorded in South, Luton over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “B653” (224).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near B653 | 224 |
| On or near Parking Area | 140 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 105 |
| On or near Gipsy Lane | 84 |
| On or near Osborne Road | 82 |
| On or near Kingsland Road | 62 |
| On or near St Ann'S Road | 55 |
| On or near Bailey Street | 53 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 53 |
| On or near Windsor Street | 46 |
Of the 1,559 crimes in South, Luton with a recorded outcome, 49% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.3% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 307 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 759 | 48.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 489 | 31.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 94 | 6.0% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 82 | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 49 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 33 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 28 | 1.8% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
South, Luton has an estimated population of 12,643 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more private renting (45%, against 20%), more students (16.5%, against 7.9%) and more unemployed residents (6.9%, against 3.4%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up South, Luton average decile 2.9 (1 = most deprived), more deprived than average.
| Measure | South, Luton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 7.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 59.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 6.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 10.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 16.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 23.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 39.6% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 31.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 22.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 45.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 2.9 | 5.5 (England) |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 20.3% | 10.1% (England) |
Is South, Luton a safe place to live?
South, Luton recorded 147.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 452nd of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were vehicle crime and drugs.
What is the most common crime in South, Luton?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 484 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (307).
Is crime in South, Luton going up or down?
Recorded crime in South, Luton was down 3% on the year before: 1,866 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,917 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of South, Luton?
About 12,643 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 7.6% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers South, Luton?
South, Luton 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.