Crime in Leighton Buzzard: statistics, rates and trends
2,869 crimes were recorded in Leighton Buzzard in the 12 months to August 2026, 63.7 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 2% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Leighton Buzzard at a glance
- Crime trends in Leighton Buzzard
- Types of crime in Leighton Buzzard
- Leighton Buzzard compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Leighton Buzzard
- Streets with the most crime in Leighton Buzzard
- What happened after crimes were reported in Leighton Buzzard
- Demographics of Leighton Buzzard
- Questions about crime in Leighton Buzzard
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (932), anti-social behaviour (472) and shoplifting (335) made up 61% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 886th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Leighton Buzzard | Central Bedfordshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,869 | 19,387 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 63.7 | 61.4 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -2% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 45,034 | 315,877 | 58,127,638 |
The year to August 2026 had the least recorded crime in Leighton Buzzard of any year here (2,869 crimes). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 16%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,869 | 63.7 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,914 | 64.7 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,933 | 65.1 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 3,067 | 68.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,987 | 66.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,969 | 65.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 3,483 | 77.3 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 3,340 | 74.2 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 3,397 | 75.4 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 259 |
| July 2026 | 321 |
| June 2026 | 244 |
| May 2026 | 240 |
| April 2026 | 217 |
| March 2026 | 251 |
| February 2026 | 222 |
| January 2026 | 214 |
| December 2025 | 235 |
| November 2025 | 226 |
| October 2025 | 246 |
| September 2025 | 194 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and drugs (55% below) and possession of weapons (52% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 204 to 335 and criminal damage and arson rose from 183 to 259, while anti-social behaviour fell from 640 to 472 and possession of weapons fell from 27 to 21.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 932 | 20.7 | 34.2 | -4% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 472 | 10.5 | 15.4 | -26% |
| Shoplifting | 335 | 7.4 | 8.5 | +64% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 259 | 5.8 | 6.7 | +42% |
| Vehicle crime | 207 | 4.6 | 5.0 | -8% |
| Public order | 175 | 3.9 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Other theft | 162 | 3.6 | 6.4 | -9% |
| Burglary | 111 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 0% |
| Drugs | 67 | 1.5 | 3.3 | +31% |
| Other crime | 66 | 1.5 | 2.1 | +35% |
| Robbery | 39 | 0.9 | 1.4 | -9% |
| Possession of weapons | 21 | 0.5 | 1.0 | -22% |
| Bicycle theft | 15 | 0.3 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 8 | 0.2 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
5 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Leighton Buzzard; the highest is Milton Keynes (109.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Aston Clinton (42.4).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Leighton Buzzard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton Regis | 2,303 | 92.5 | +45% |
| Dunstable | 2,628 | 73.4 | +15% |
| Bletchley | 3,995 | 90.0 | +41% |
| Tring | 730 | 55.9 | -12% |
| Aston Clinton | 216 | 42.4 | -33% |
| Flitwick | 571 | 50.0 | -22% |
| Milton Keynes | 21,460 | 109.2 | +71% |
| Luton | 22,791 | 91.6 | +44% |
Of the 3 areas within Leighton Buzzard, Leighton-Linslade South had the highest crime rate (88.9 per 1,000) and Leighton-Linslade North the lowest (48.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leighton-Linslade South | Neighbourhood | 16,342 | 1,453 | 88.9 |
| Leighton-Linslade West | Neighbourhood | 13,329 | 710 | 53.3 |
| Leighton-Linslade North | Neighbourhood | 16,686 | 806 | 48.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in Leighton Buzzard over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Market Square” (160).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Market Square | 160 |
| On or near Parking Area | 116 |
| On or near Supermarket | 101 |
| On or near West Street | 96 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 82 |
| On or near Vandyke Road | 62 |
| On or near Vimy Road | 58 |
| On or near Church Square | 51 |
| On or near Kemsley Drive | 46 |
| On or near Albany Road | 42 |
Of the 2,397 crimes in Leighton Buzzard with a recorded outcome, 43% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 472 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 1,033 | 43.1% | 35.3% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 867 | 36.2% | 34.5% |
| Under investigation | 172 | 7.2% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 86 | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 75 | 3.1% | 1.3% |
| Local resolution | 49 | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 49 | 2.0% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 26 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 14 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 14 | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 8 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 4 | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Leighton Buzzard has an estimated population of 45,034 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has fewer students (4.3%, against 7.9%), fewer households without a car (13%, against 23%) and less social housing (12%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Leighton Buzzard average decile 7.8 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Leighton Buzzard | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.2% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.3% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.2% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.9% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 72.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 11.7% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.6% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.8 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Leighton Buzzard a safe place to live?
Leighton Buzzard recorded 63.7 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 886th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Leighton Buzzard?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 932 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (472).
Is crime in Leighton Buzzard going up or down?
Recorded crime in Leighton Buzzard was down 2% on the year before: 2,869 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,914 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Leighton Buzzard?
About 45,034 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 17% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Leighton Buzzard?
Leighton Buzzard 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.