Crime in Baldock: statistics, rates and trends
806 crimes were recorded in Baldock in the 12 months to August 2026, 75.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (320), anti-social behaviour (160) and other theft (73) made up 69% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 691st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Baldock | North Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 806 | 9,152 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 75.2 | 66.7 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -10% | 0% | -1% |
| Population | 10,722 | 137,201 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Baldock peaked in the year to August 2019 (907 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (700). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 9%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 806 | 75.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 899 | 83.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 852 | 79.5 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 782 | 72.9 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 846 | 78.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 714 | 66.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 700 | 65.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 907 | 84.6 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 885 | 82.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 76 |
| July 2026 | 78 |
| June 2026 | 46 |
| May 2026 | 55 |
| April 2026 | 68 |
| March 2026 | 67 |
| February 2026 | 54 |
| January 2026 | 66 |
| December 2025 | 57 |
| November 2025 | 71 |
| October 2025 | 99 |
| September 2025 | 69 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (75% below) and public order (51% below) were well below it. On the year before, burglary rose from 20 to 26, while shoplifting fell from 35 to 23 and anti-social behaviour fell from 230 to 160.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 320 | 29.8 | 34.2 | -8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 160 | 14.9 | 15.4 | -30% |
| Other theft | 73 | 6.8 | 6.4 | +11% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 65 | 6.1 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Vehicle crime | 47 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Public order | 35 | 3.3 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Burglary | 26 | 2.4 | 3.6 | +30% |
| Shoplifting | 23 | 2.1 | 8.5 | -34% |
| Drugs | 21 | 2.0 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Other crime | 14 | 1.3 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.7 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Robbery | 5 | 0.5 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Baldock; the highest is Stevenage (115.1 per 1,000) and the lowest Stotfold (48.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Baldock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letchworth | 2,848 | 84.7 | +13% |
| Stotfold | 664 | 48.5 | -36% |
| Arlesey | 368 | 57.8 | -23% |
| Hitchin | 2,533 | 69.9 | -7% |
| Stevenage | 10,934 | 115.1 | +53% |
| Shefford | 593 | 70.5 | -6% |
| Biggleswade | 1,573 | 67.4 | -10% |
| Buntingford | 563 | 67.3 | -11% |
Of the 2 areas within Baldock, Baldock West had the highest crime rate (89.2 per 1,000) and Baldock East the lowest (27.2), 3 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldock West | Neighbourhood | 8,299 | 740 | 89.2 |
| Baldock East | Neighbourhood | 2,423 | 66 | 27.2 |
The 10 locations below account for 42% of the crime recorded in Baldock over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (95).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 95 |
| On or near Hillcrest | 75 |
| On or near Park Crescent | 60 |
| On or near London Road | 26 |
| On or near Ivel Way | 16 |
| On or near Ashton'S Lane | 15 |
| On or near North Road | 15 |
| On or near Tranters Mews | 14 |
| On or near Bowmans Green | 13 |
| On or near Clare Crescent | 13 |
Of the 646 crimes in Baldock with a recorded outcome, 31% 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 160 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 259 | 40.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 202 | 31.3% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 82 | 12.7% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 27 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 22 | 3.4% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 2.6% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 1.5% | 0.3% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 8 | 1.2% | 5.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 8 | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.9% | 0.5% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 1 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
Baldock has an estimated population of 10,722 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (15%, against 23%) and fewer residents with no qualifications (13%, against 18%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Baldock average decile 8.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Baldock | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.6% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 37.8% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 12.9% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 15.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 66.9% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.8% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Baldock a safe place to live?
Baldock recorded 75.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 691st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Baldock?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 320 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (160).
Is crime in Baldock going up or down?
Recorded crime in Baldock was down 10% on the year before: 806 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 899 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Baldock?
About 10,722 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 20% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Baldock?
Baldock is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.