Crime in Bishop's Stortford: statistics, rates and trends
3,497 crimes were recorded in Bishop's Stortford in the 12 months to July 2026, 78.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 9% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in Bishop's Stortford at a glance
- Crime trends in Bishop's Stortford
- Types of crime in Bishop's Stortford
- Bishop's Stortford compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Bishop's Stortford
- Streets with the most crime in Bishop's Stortford
- What happened after crimes were reported in Bishop's Stortford
- Population and deprivation in Bishop's Stortford
- Questions about crime in Bishop's Stortford
- About this data
3,497 crimes were recorded in Bishop's Stortford in the 12 months to July 2026, 78.8 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and up 9% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 1,211 reports (35% of the total).
Of the 1,408 towns covered by this site, Bishop's Stortford has the 639th highest crime rate.
| Measure | Bishop's Stortford | East Hertfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 3,497 | 10,684 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 78.8 | 68.1 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +9% | +3% | -1% |
| Population | 44,390 | 156,875 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in Bishop's Stortford was highest in the year to July 2026 (3,497 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2021 (2,793). Over the whole period it rose 21%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 3,497 | 78.8 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 3,194 | 72.0 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 3,289 | 74.1 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 3,325 | 74.9 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 3,087 | 69.5 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 2,793 | 62.9 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 2,806 | 63.2 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 2,962 | 66.7 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 2,902 | 65.4 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 367 |
| June 2026 | 348 |
| May 2026 | 346 |
| April 2026 | 293 |
| March 2026 | 292 |
| February 2026 | 270 |
| January 2026 | 232 |
| December 2025 | 284 |
| November 2025 | 258 |
| October 2025 | 268 |
| September 2025 | 257 |
| August 2025 | 282 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in Bishop's Stortford over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. The largest increases were in drugs (+72%) and shoplifting (+38%).
The largest falls were in other crime (-27%) and bicycle theft (-19%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,211 | 27.3 | 0.80 | +9% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 839 | 18.9 | 1.23 | +16% |
| Shoplifting | 333 | 7.5 | 0.91 | +38% |
| Other theft | 237 | 5.3 | 0.83 | +12% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 183 | 4.1 | 0.61 | -8% |
| Vehicle crime | 160 | 3.6 | 0.73 | -11% |
| Public order | 153 | 3.4 | 0.52 | -1% |
| Burglary | 114 | 2.6 | 0.73 | -13% |
| Drugs | 103 | 2.3 | 0.71 | +72% |
| Other crime | 43 | 1.0 | 0.46 | -27% |
| Theft from the person | 38 | 0.9 | 0.51 | +15% |
| Robbery | 36 | 0.8 | 0.60 | +16% |
| Bicycle theft | 29 | 0.7 | 0.79 | -19% |
| Possession of weapons | 18 | 0.4 | 0.42 | -14% |
Violence and sexual offences in Bishop's Stortford
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. Bishop's Stortford recorded 1,211 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (27.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and up 9% on the year before. It made up 34.6% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in Bishop's Stortford
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. Bishop's Stortford recorded 839 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (18.9 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and up 16% on the year before. It made up 24.0% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in Bishop's Stortford
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. Bishop's Stortford recorded 333 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (7.5 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and up 38% on the year before. It made up 9.5% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in Bishop's Stortford
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. Bishop's Stortford recorded 237 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and up 12% on the year before. It made up 6.8% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in Bishop's Stortford
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. Bishop's Stortford recorded 183 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 5.2% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in Bishop's Stortford
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. Bishop's Stortford recorded 160 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 11% on the year before. It made up 4.6% of all crime in the area.
Public order in Bishop's Stortford
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. Bishop's Stortford recorded 153 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and almost unchanged on the year before. It made up 4.4% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in Bishop's Stortford
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. Bishop's Stortford recorded 114 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 13% on the year before. It made up 3.3% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in Bishop's Stortford
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. Bishop's Stortford recorded 103 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (2.3 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and up 72% on the year before. It made up 2.9% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in Bishop's Stortford
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. Bishop's Stortford recorded 43 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and down 27% on the year before. It made up 1.2% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in Bishop's Stortford
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. Bishop's Stortford recorded 38 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 15% on the year before. It made up 1.1% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in Bishop's Stortford
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. Bishop's Stortford recorded 36 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 16% on the year before. It made up 1.0% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in Bishop's Stortford
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. Bishop's Stortford recorded 29 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 19% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in Bishop's Stortford
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. Bishop's Stortford recorded 18 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.4 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 14% on the year before. It made up 0.5% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the towns closest to Bishop's Stortford, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to Bishop's Stortford.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Bishop's Stortford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stansted Mountfitchet | 691 | 65.6 | -17% |
| Sawbridgeworth | 630 | 53.8 | -32% |
| Takeley and Little Canfield | 1,651 | 274.4 | +248% |
| Harlow | 10,320 | 107.6 | +37% |
| Great Dunmow | 639 | 63.6 | -19% |
| Ware | 1,325 | 65.9 | -16% |
| Buntingford | 564 | 67.4 | -14% |
| Hoddesdon | 3,486 | 86.8 | +10% |
6 areas within Bishop's Stortford, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Bishop's Stortford North had the highest rate (122.1 per 1,000) and Bishop's Stortford Thorley Manor the lowest (36.8). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop's Stortford North | Neighbourhood | 10,687 | 1,305 | 122.1 |
| Bishop's Stortford Central | Neighbourhood | 6,558 | 670 | 102.2 |
| Bishop's Stortford All Saints | Neighbourhood | 5,302 | 522 | 98.5 |
| Bishop's Stortford Parsonage | Neighbourhood | 7,284 | 374 | 51.3 |
| Bishop's Stortford South | Neighbourhood | 6,354 | 324 | 51.0 |
| Bishop's Stortford Thorley Manor | Neighbourhood | 8,205 | 302 | 36.8 |
Police.uk records each crime at an approximate location, usually the centre of a nearby street or a landmark, to protect victims' privacy. These are the locations with the most reports in Bishop's Stortford over the 12 months to July 2026.
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 212 |
| On or near Potter Street | 122 |
| On or near Supermarket | 101 |
| On or near Riverside Walk | 96 |
| On or near Hadham Grove | 83 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 74 |
| On or near Plaw Hatch Close | 69 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 65 |
| On or near John Dyde Close | 65 |
| On or near Haymeads Lane | 64 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in Bishop's Stortford over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,042 | 29.8% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 871 | 24.9% |
| Not recorded | 839 | 24.0% |
| Under investigation | 290 | 8.3% |
| Local resolution | 122 | 3.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 121 | 3.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 78 | 2.2% |
| Offender given a caution | 48 | 1.4% |
| Court result unavailable | 44 | 1.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 20 | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 9 | 0.3% |
Bishop's Stortford has an estimated population of 44,390. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in Bishop's Stortford sits in decile 9.1, less deprived than average. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | Bishop's Stortford |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.9% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 64.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.7% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 70.1% |
| Social rented homes | 10.9% |
| Private rented homes | 19.0% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 9.1 |
Is Bishop's Stortford a safe place to live?
Bishop's Stortford recorded 78.8 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in Bishop's Stortford?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,211 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (839).
Is crime in Bishop's Stortford going up or down?
Recorded crime in Bishop's Stortford was up 9% on the year before: 3,497 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 3,194 in the previous 12 months.
Which police force covers Bishop's Stortford?
Bishop's Stortford is policed by Hertfordshire. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online to the force or by calling 101; in an emergency call 999.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to Bishop's Stortford. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.