Crime in Biggleswade: statistics, rates and trends
1,573 crimes were recorded in Biggleswade in the 12 months to August 2026, 67.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 19% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Biggleswade at a glance
- Crime trends in Biggleswade
- Types of crime in Biggleswade
- Biggleswade compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Biggleswade
- Streets with the most crime in Biggleswade
- What happened after crimes were reported in Biggleswade
- Demographics of Biggleswade
- Questions about crime in Biggleswade
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (505), anti-social behaviour (305) and shoplifting (189) made up 64% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 826th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Biggleswade | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,573 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 67.4 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +19% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 23,352 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Biggleswade peaked in the year to August 2020 (1,704 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2025 (1,327). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 1%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,573 | 67.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,327 | 56.8 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,471 | 63.0 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,467 | 62.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,548 | 66.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,344 | 57.6 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,704 | 73.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,587 | 68.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,550 | 66.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 132 |
| July 2026 | 147 |
| June 2026 | 120 |
| May 2026 | 176 |
| April 2026 | 133 |
| March 2026 | 92 |
| February 2026 | 107 |
| January 2026 | 109 |
| December 2025 | 128 |
| November 2025 | 168 |
| October 2025 | 168 |
| September 2025 | 93 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (52% below) and burglary (42% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 134 to 189 and vehicle crime rose from 79 to 110.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 505 | 21.6 | 34.2 | +7% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 305 | 13.1 | 15.4 | +33% |
| Shoplifting | 189 | 8.1 | 8.5 | +41% |
| Vehicle crime | 110 | 4.7 | 5.0 | +39% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 100 | 4.3 | 6.7 | +6% |
| Other theft | 97 | 4.2 | 6.4 | +13% |
| Public order | 96 | 4.1 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Burglary | 48 | 2.1 | 3.6 | +9% |
| Other crime | 39 | 1.7 | 2.1 | +5% |
| Drugs | 37 | 1.6 | 3.3 | +23% |
| Robbery | 22 | 0.9 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 14 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 0.3 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 5 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
6 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Biggleswade; the highest is Letchworth (84.7 per 1,000) and the lowest Stotfold (48.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Biggleswade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 819 | 76.7 | +14% |
| Shefford | 593 | 70.5 | +5% |
| Arlesey | 368 | 57.8 | -14% |
| Stotfold | 664 | 48.5 | -28% |
| Baldock | 806 | 75.2 | +12% |
| Letchworth | 2,848 | 84.7 | +26% |
| Shortstown | 413 | 70.1 | +4% |
| Wixams | 588 | 69.9 | +4% |
Of the 2 areas within Biggleswade, Biggleswade West had the highest crime rate (77.6 per 1,000) and Biggleswade East the lowest (50.9).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biggleswade West | Neighbourhood | 14,375 | 1,116 | 77.6 |
| Biggleswade East | Neighbourhood | 8,977 | 457 | 50.9 |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Biggleswade over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (104).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 104 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 100 |
| On or near Parking Area | 95 |
| On or near Bonds Lane | 64 |
| On or near High Street | 63 |
| On or near Church Street | 34 |
| On or near Winston Crescent | 33 |
| On or near Sullivan Court | 24 |
| On or near Palace Street | 23 |
| On or near Reynolds Close | 23 |
Of the 1,268 crimes in Biggleswade with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.8% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 305 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 503 | 39.7% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 414 | 32.6% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 133 | 10.5% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 99 | 7.8% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 42 | 3.3% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 26 | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 22 | 1.7% | 4.7% |
| Local resolution | 12 | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 6 | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 6 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Biggleswade has an estimated population of 23,352 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.2%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and less private renting (15%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Biggleswade average decile 7.0 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Biggleswade | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.0% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 67.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.2% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 32.6% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 13.3% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 14.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.0% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Biggleswade a safe place to live?
Biggleswade recorded 67.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 826th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Biggleswade?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 505 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (305).
Is crime in Biggleswade going up or down?
Recorded crime in Biggleswade was up 19% on the year before: 1,573 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,327 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Biggleswade?
About 23,352 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 16% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Biggleswade?
Biggleswade 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.