Crime in Wigmore: statistics, rates and trends
1,262 crimes were recorded in Wigmore in the 12 months to August 2026, 131.7 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 15% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Shoplifting (451), violence and sexual offences (240) and anti-social behaviour (157) made up 67% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 651st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Wigmore | Luton | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,262 | 22,028 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 131.7 | 92.1 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -15% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 9,585 | 239,090 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wigmore peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,667 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (786). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 21%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,262 | 131.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,492 | 155.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,335 | 139.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,236 | 129.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,131 | 118.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 786 | 82.0 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,103 | 115.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,667 | 173.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,597 | 166.6 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 123 |
| July 2026 | 109 |
| June 2026 | 128 |
| May 2026 | 114 |
| April 2026 | 86 |
| March 2026 | 111 |
| February 2026 | 80 |
| January 2026 | 88 |
| December 2025 | 106 |
| November 2025 | 73 |
| October 2025 | 122 |
| September 2025 | 122 |
Compared with England and Wales, Wigmore recorded notably more shoplifting (5.6 times the national rate), possession of weapons (3.4 times the national rate) and vehicle crime (70% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (27% below) and drugs (24% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 24 to 33, while possession of weapons fell from 67 to 32 and other theft fell from 189 to 102.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoplifting | 451 | 47.1 | 8.5 | -3% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 240 | 25.0 | 34.2 | -14% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 157 | 16.4 | 15.4 | +11% |
| Other theft | 102 | 10.6 | 6.4 | -46% |
| Vehicle crime | 81 | 8.5 | 5.0 | -14% |
| Public order | 57 | 5.9 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 54 | 5.6 | 6.7 | -10% |
| Other crime | 33 | 3.4 | 2.1 | +38% |
| Possession of weapons | 32 | 3.3 | 1.0 | -52% |
| Drugs | 24 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Theft from the person | 16 | 1.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Burglary | 9 | 0.9 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest neighbourhoods have a higher crime rate than Wigmore; the highest is Central, Luton (448.8 per 1,000) and the lowest Barnfield, Luton (45.4).
The 10 locations below account for 73% of the crime recorded in Wigmore over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Prince Way” (542).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Prince Way | 542 |
| On or near Supermarket | 90 |
| On or near Airport/Airfield | 88 |
| On or near Parking Area | 55 |
| On or near Frank Lester Way | 36 |
| On or near Laxton Close | 29 |
| On or near Alfriston Close | 24 |
| On or near Buckingham Drive | 21 |
| On or near Lullington Close | 20 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 20 |
Of the 1,105 crimes in Wigmore with a recorded outcome, 32% 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 157 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 349 | 31.6% | 35.3% |
| Local resolution | 300 | 27.1% | 3.1% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 256 | 23.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 84 | 7.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 32 | 2.9% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 19 | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 19 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 16 | 1.4% | 4.7% |
| Offender given a caution | 14 | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Wigmore has an estimated population of 9,585 (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 (5.8%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wigmore average decile 7.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Wigmore | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.6% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.9% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.1% | 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 | 10.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 22.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wigmore a safe place to live?
Wigmore recorded 131.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 651st of the 3,911 neighbourhoods on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were shoplifting and possession of weapons.
What is the most common crime in Wigmore?
Shoplifting was the most common category, with 451 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (240).
Is crime in Wigmore going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wigmore was down 15% on the year before: 1,262 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,492 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wigmore?
About 9,585 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 18% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wigmore?
Wigmore 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.