Crime in Dunstable: statistics, rates and trends
2,628 crimes were recorded in Dunstable in the 12 months to August 2026, 73.4 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 6% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Dunstable at a glance
- Crime trends in Dunstable
- Types of crime in Dunstable
- Dunstable compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Dunstable
- Streets with the most crime in Dunstable
- What happened after crimes were reported in Dunstable
- Demographics of Dunstable
- Questions about crime in Dunstable
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (925), anti-social behaviour (445) and vehicle crime (217) made up 60% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 721st of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Dunstable | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,628 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 73.4 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -6% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 35,799 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Dunstable of any year here (2,628 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 46%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,628 | 73.4 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,791 | 78.0 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,873 | 80.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 2,693 | 75.2 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,939 | 82.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 3,049 | 85.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,705 | 103.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 4,509 | 126.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 4,834 | 135.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 247 |
| July 2026 | 247 |
| June 2026 | 197 |
| May 2026 | 251 |
| April 2026 | 190 |
| March 2026 | 198 |
| February 2026 | 161 |
| January 2026 | 195 |
| December 2025 | 202 |
| November 2025 | 228 |
| October 2025 | 266 |
| September 2025 | 246 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (44% below) and public order (33% below) were well below it. On the year before, robbery rose from 35 to 51 and drugs rose from 72 to 98, while shoplifting fell from 266 to 170 and other crime fell from 76 to 57.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 925 | 25.8 | 34.2 | +1% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 445 | 12.4 | 15.4 | -14% |
| Vehicle crime | 217 | 6.1 | 5.0 | +32% |
| Other theft | 175 | 4.9 | 6.4 | -12% |
| Shoplifting | 170 | 4.7 | 8.5 | -36% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 162 | 4.5 | 6.7 | -14% |
| Public order | 160 | 4.5 | 6.7 | -24% |
| Burglary | 106 | 3.0 | 3.6 | +14% |
| Drugs | 98 | 2.7 | 3.3 | +36% |
| Other crime | 57 | 1.6 | 2.1 | -25% |
| Robbery | 51 | 1.4 | 1.4 | +46% |
| Possession of weapons | 27 | 0.8 | 1.0 | +17% |
| Bicycle theft | 20 | 0.6 | 0.8 | -5% |
| Theft from the person | 15 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
2 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Dunstable; the highest is Houghton Regis (92.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Harpenden (37.6).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Dunstable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton Regis | 2,303 | 92.5 | +26% |
| Luton | 22,791 | 91.6 | +25% |
| Leighton Buzzard | 2,869 | 63.7 | -13% |
| Barton-le-Clay | 198 | 39.4 | -46% |
| Flitwick | 571 | 50.0 | -32% |
| Tring | 730 | 55.9 | -24% |
| Berkhamsted | 1,280 | 58.0 | -21% |
| Harpenden | 1,086 | 37.6 | -49% |
Of the 4 areas within Dunstable, Dunstable Central had the highest crime rate (107.3 per 1,000) and Dunstable West the lowest (42.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunstable Central | Neighbourhood | 7,807 | 838 | 107.3 |
| Dunstable North | Neighbourhood | 9,800 | 619 | 63.2 |
| Dunstable South | Neighbourhood | 5,818 | 307 | 52.8 |
| Dunstable West | Neighbourhood | 8,328 | 352 | 42.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 29% of the crime recorded in Dunstable over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Supermarket” (170).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Supermarket | 170 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 164 |
| On or near Parking Area | 76 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 66 |
| On or near Theatre/Concert Hall | 61 |
| On or near The Square | 56 |
| On or near Dukeminster Road | 48 |
| On or near Aldbanks | 43 |
| On or near Radburn Court | 37 |
| On or near Lockhart Close | 35 |
Of the 2,183 crimes in Dunstable with a recorded outcome, 40% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 445 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 870 | 39.9% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 838 | 38.4% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 145 | 6.6% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 77 | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 69 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Court result unavailable | 52 | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 50 | 2.3% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 40 | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 17 | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 11 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 10 | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Dunstable has an estimated population of 35,799 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (5.7%, against 7.9%) and fewer households without a car (17%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Dunstable average decile 6.3 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Dunstable | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 19.8% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 20.0% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 29.3% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 17.4% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 67.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 16.2% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 16.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Dunstable a safe place to live?
Dunstable recorded 73.4 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 721st of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Dunstable?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 925 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (445).
Is crime in Dunstable going up or down?
Recorded crime in Dunstable was down 6% on the year before: 2,628 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,791 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Dunstable?
About 35,799 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Dunstable?
Dunstable 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.