Crime in Stopsley: statistics, rates and trends
858 crimes were recorded in Stopsley in the 12 months to August 2026, 69.3 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (287), anti-social behaviour (196) and criminal damage and arson (63) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 2,258th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Stopsley | Luton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 858 | 22,028 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 69.3 | 92.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 12,382 | 239,090 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Stopsley peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,388 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (796). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 35%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 858 | 69.3 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 842 | 68.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 796 | 64.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 844 | 68.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 927 | 74.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 932 | 75.3 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,087 | 87.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,388 | 112.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,329 | 107.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 74 |
| July 2026 | 91 |
| June 2026 | 66 |
| May 2026 | 92 |
| April 2026 | 75 |
| March 2026 | 86 |
| February 2026 | 62 |
| January 2026 | 56 |
| December 2025 | 73 |
| November 2025 | 52 |
| October 2025 | 63 |
| September 2025 | 68 |
Compared with England and Wales, Stopsley recorded notably more other crime (30% above the national rate), and notably less other theft (54% below) and shoplifting (46% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 21 to 34 and anti-social behaviour rose from 139 to 196, while vehicle crime fell from 84 to 55 and criminal damage and arson fell from 78 to 63.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 287 | 23.2 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 196 | 15.8 | 15.4 | +41% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 63 | 5.1 | 6.7 | -19% |
| Shoplifting | 57 | 4.6 | 8.5 | -2% |
| Vehicle crime | 55 | 4.4 | 5.0 | -35% |
| Public order | 54 | 4.4 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Other theft | 37 | 3.0 | 6.4 | -18% |
| Other crime | 34 | 2.7 | 2.1 | +62% |
| Drugs | 30 | 2.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 17 | 1.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 13 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 10 | 0.8 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Stopsley; the highest is Central, Luton (448.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Barnfield, Luton (45.4).
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Stopsley over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Petrol Station” (56).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Petrol Station | 56 |
| On or near Venetia Road | 48 |
| On or near Butterfield Green Road | 34 |
| On or near St Thomas'S Close | 28 |
| On or near Supermarket | 27 |
| On or near Tancred Road | 26 |
| On or near Hazelwood Close | 22 |
| On or near Mixes Hill Road | 21 |
| On or near Dovehouse Hill | 19 |
| On or near St Thomas'S Road | 19 |
Of the 662 crimes in Stopsley with a recorded outcome, 38% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.4% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 196 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 257 | 38.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 249 | 37.6% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 48 | 7.3% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 29 | 4.4% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 22 | 3.3% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 22 | 3.3% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 16 | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 10 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
Stopsley has an estimated population of 12,382 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (14%, against 20%), fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%) and fewer residents with Level 4 qualifications or above (27%, against 34%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Stopsley average decile 5.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Stopsley | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 21.1% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 57.9% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 26.7% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 20.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 16.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.5% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 14.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Stopsley a safe place to live?
Stopsley recorded 69.3 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 2,258th of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime.
What is the most common crime in Stopsley?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 287 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (196).
Is crime in Stopsley going up or down?
Recorded crime in Stopsley was up 2% on the year before: 858 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 842 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Stopsley?
About 12,382 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 19% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Stopsley?
Stopsley 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.