Crime in Kempston: statistics, rates and trends
2,008 crimes were recorded in Kempston in the 12 months to August 2026, 94.2 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Kempston at a glance
- Crime trends in Kempston
- Types of crime in Kempston
- Kempston compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Kempston
- Streets with the most crime in Kempston
- What happened after crimes were reported in Kempston
- Demographics of Kempston
- Questions about crime in Kempston
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (724), shoplifting (255) and anti-social behaviour (247) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 420th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the upper half.
| Measure | Kempston | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,008 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 94.2 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -7% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 21,309 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Kempston peaked in the year to August 2019 (2,265 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2023 (1,711). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 3%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,008 | 94.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,158 | 101.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 1,946 | 91.3 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,711 | 80.3 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 1,942 | 91.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,188 | 102.7 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,100 | 98.5 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,265 | 106.3 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,068 | 97.0 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 185 |
| July 2026 | 189 |
| June 2026 | 154 |
| May 2026 | 148 |
| April 2026 | 183 |
| March 2026 | 175 |
| February 2026 | 152 |
| January 2026 | 165 |
| December 2025 | 148 |
| November 2025 | 178 |
| October 2025 | 157 |
| September 2025 | 174 |
Compared with England and Wales, Kempston recorded notably more other crime (47% above the national rate) and shoplifting (42% above the national rate), and notably less burglary (30% below) and anti-social behaviour (25% below). On the year before, other crime rose from 40 to 66 and other theft rose from 84 to 105, while shoplifting fell from 370 to 255.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 724 | 34.0 | 34.2 | -2% |
| Shoplifting | 255 | 12.0 | 8.5 | -31% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 247 | 11.6 | 15.4 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 169 | 7.9 | 6.7 | -3% |
| Public order | 160 | 7.5 | 6.7 | -6% |
| Other theft | 105 | 4.9 | 6.4 | +25% |
| Vehicle crime | 98 | 4.6 | 5.0 | -13% |
| Drugs | 84 | 3.9 | 3.3 | +4% |
| Other crime | 66 | 3.1 | 2.1 | +65% |
| Burglary | 53 | 2.5 | 3.6 | -2% |
| Possession of weapons | 16 | 0.8 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 13 | 0.6 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 10 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 8 | 0.4 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
1 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Kempston; the highest is Bedford (125.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Wootton (Bedford) (36.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Kempston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wootton (Bedford) | 305 | 36.5 | -61% |
| Bedford | 12,865 | 125.5 | +33% |
| Wixams | 588 | 69.9 | -26% |
| Shortstown | 413 | 70.1 | -26% |
| Marston Moretaine | 300 | 53.2 | -44% |
| Cranfield | 372 | 42.6 | -55% |
| Ampthill | 370 | 39.9 | -58% |
| Flitwick | 571 | 50.0 | -47% |
Of the 4 areas within Kempston, Kempston Central & East had the highest crime rate (124.2 per 1,000) and Kempston West the lowest (57.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kempston Central & East | Neighbourhood | 9,970 | 1,238 | 124.2 |
| Kempston South | Neighbourhood | 4,119 | 364 | 88.4 |
| Kempston North | Neighbourhood | 3,876 | 303 | 78.2 |
| Kempston West | Neighbourhood | 4,833 | 277 | 57.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 43% of the crime recorded in Kempston over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Abbott Crescent” (297).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Abbott Crescent | 297 |
| On or near The Old Yard | 134 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 95 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 61 |
| On or near The Hollies | 59 |
| On or near Race Meadows Way | 55 |
| On or near B531 | 50 |
| On or near Bedford Road | 41 |
| On or near Oliver Close | 41 |
| On or near Bunyan Road | 39 |
Of the 1,761 crimes in Kempston with a recorded outcome, 27% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 8.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 247 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 656 | 37.3% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 473 | 26.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 225 | 12.8% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 144 | 8.2% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 87 | 4.9% | 2.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 62 | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 35 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 30 | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 29 | 1.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 9 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 3 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Kempston has an estimated population of 21,309 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer households without a car (18%, against 23%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Kempston average decile 5.4 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Kempston | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 16.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 63.6% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 18.2% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 6.0% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 28.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 19.1% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.5% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 65.2% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 17.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 17.1% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.4 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Kempston a safe place to live?
Kempston recorded 94.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 420th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were other crime and shoplifting.
What is the most common crime in Kempston?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 724 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by shoplifting (255).
Is crime in Kempston going up or down?
Recorded crime in Kempston was down 7% on the year before: 2,008 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,158 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Kempston?
About 21,309 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Kempston?
Kempston 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.