Crime in Arlesey: statistics, rates and trends
368 crimes were recorded in Arlesey in the 12 months to August 2026, 57.8 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
Anti-social behaviour (125), violence and sexual offences (105) and other theft (33) made up 71% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,001st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Arlesey | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 368 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 57.8 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +2% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 6,366 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Arlesey peaked in the year to August 2022 (388 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2021 (278). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 15%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 368 | 57.8 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 361 | 56.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 332 | 52.2 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 318 | 50.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 388 | 60.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 278 | 43.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 362 | 56.9 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 376 | 59.1 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 320 | 50.3 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 36 |
| July 2026 | 38 |
| June 2026 | 30 |
| May 2026 | 28 |
| April 2026 | 35 |
| March 2026 | 26 |
| February 2026 | 28 |
| January 2026 | 28 |
| December 2025 | 26 |
| November 2025 | 29 |
| October 2025 | 32 |
| September 2025 | 32 |
Compared with England and Wales, Arlesey recorded notably more anti-social behaviour (28% above the national rate), and notably less violence and sexual offences (52% below) and criminal damage and arson (42% below). On the year before, anti-social behaviour rose from 73 to 125 and other theft rose from 20 to 33, while violence and sexual offences fell from 140 to 105.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-social behaviour | 125 | 19.6 | 15.4 | +71% |
| Violence and sexual offences | 105 | 16.5 | 34.2 | -25% |
| Other theft | 33 | 5.2 | 6.4 | +65% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 25 | 3.9 | 6.7 | -4% |
| Burglary | 16 | 2.5 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 16 | 2.5 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Drugs | 15 | 2.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 13 | 2.0 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Public order | 12 | 1.9 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Arlesey; the highest is Stevenage (115.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Barton-le-Clay (39.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Arlesey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stotfold | 664 | 48.5 | -16% |
| Letchworth | 2,848 | 84.7 | +47% |
| Shefford | 593 | 70.5 | +22% |
| Baldock | 806 | 75.2 | +30% |
| Hitchin | 2,533 | 69.9 | +21% |
| Biggleswade | 1,573 | 67.4 | +17% |
| Barton-le-Clay | 198 | 39.4 | -32% |
| Stevenage | 10,934 | 115.1 | +99% |
Arlesey & Fairfield is the one area listed within Arlesey, with 48.6 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlesey & Fairfield | Neighbourhood | 11,031 | 536 | 48.6 |
The 10 locations below account for 38% of the crime recorded in Arlesey over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Hitchin Road” and “Ramerick Gardens” (18 each).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Hitchin Road | 18 |
| On or near Ramerick Gardens | 18 |
| On or near Chancellors | 15 |
| On or near Hillary Rise | 15 |
| On or near Carters Walk | 14 |
| On or near Prince Of Wales | 14 |
| On or near Stotfold Road | 12 |
| On or near The Chase | 12 |
| On or near Albone Avenue | 11 |
| On or near West Drive | 11 |
Of the 243 crimes in Arlesey with a recorded outcome, 37% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 1.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 125 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 92 | 37.9% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 90 | 37.0% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 38 | 15.6% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 12 | 4.9% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 1.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 3 | 1.2% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 2 | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 1 | 0.4% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Arlesey has an estimated population of 6,366 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (11%, against 23%), fewer students (3.9%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (14%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Arlesey average decile 5.6 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Arlesey | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 69.1% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 3.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.0% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 10.7% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.8% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.6 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Arlesey a safe place to live?
Arlesey recorded 57.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,001st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were anti-social behaviour.
What is the most common crime in Arlesey?
Anti-social behaviour was the most common category, with 125 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by violence and sexual offences (105).
Is crime in Arlesey going up or down?
Recorded crime in Arlesey was up 2% on the year before: 368 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 361 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Arlesey?
About 6,366 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Arlesey?
Arlesey 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.