Crime in Shortstown: statistics, rates and trends
413 crimes were recorded in Shortstown in the 12 months to August 2026, 70.1 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and down 8% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Shortstown at a glance
- Crime trends in Shortstown
- Types of crime in Shortstown
- Shortstown compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Shortstown
- Streets with the most crime in Shortstown
- What happened after crimes were reported in Shortstown
- Demographics of Shortstown
- Questions about crime in Shortstown
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (159), anti-social behaviour (55) and shoplifting (55) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 774th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Shortstown | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 413 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 70.1 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -8% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 5,894 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Shortstown peaked in the year to August 2025 (450 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2019 (176). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 106%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 413 | 70.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 450 | 76.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 376 | 63.8 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 254 | 43.1 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 257 | 43.6 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 262 | 44.5 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 199 | 33.8 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 176 | 29.9 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 200 | 33.9 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 29 |
| July 2026 | 29 |
| June 2026 | 41 |
| May 2026 | 39 |
| April 2026 | 29 |
| March 2026 | 42 |
| February 2026 | 24 |
| January 2026 | 47 |
| December 2025 | 47 |
| November 2025 | 26 |
| October 2025 | 34 |
| September 2025 | 26 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and public order (44% below) and anti-social behaviour (39% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 133 to 159, while anti-social behaviour fell from 86 to 55 and shoplifting fell from 85 to 55.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 159 | 27.0 | 34.2 | +20% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 55 | 9.3 | 15.4 | -36% |
| Shoplifting | 55 | 9.3 | 8.5 | -35% |
| Other theft | 27 | 4.6 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Public order | 22 | 3.7 | 6.7 | +10% |
| Drugs | 20 | 3.4 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Burglary | 19 | 3.2 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Vehicle crime | 17 | 2.9 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 15 | 2.5 | 6.7 | n/a |
| Other crime | 11 | 1.9 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Robbery | 2 | 0.3 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 2 | 0.3 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
4 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Shortstown; the highest is Bedford (125.5 per 1,000) and the lowest Wootton (Bedford) (36.5).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Shortstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford | 12,865 | 125.5 | +79% |
| Wixams | 588 | 69.9 | 0% |
| Kempston | 2,008 | 94.2 | +34% |
| Wootton (Bedford) | 305 | 36.5 | -48% |
| Marston Moretaine | 300 | 53.2 | -24% |
| Sandy | 819 | 76.7 | +9% |
| Ampthill | 370 | 39.9 | -43% |
| Shefford | 593 | 70.5 | +1% |
Shortstown is the one area listed within Shortstown, with 70.8 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shortstown | Neighbourhood | 7,417 | 525 | 70.8 |
The 10 locations below account for 50% of the crime recorded in Shortstown over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Horace Close” (63).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Horace Close | 63 |
| On or near Megginson Way | 26 |
| On or near Garland Court | 21 |
| On or near Banks Close | 20 |
| On or near De Havilland Avenue | 17 |
| On or near Flintham | 13 |
| On or near Blackburn Close | 12 |
| On or near Edwards Close | 12 |
| On or near Tempest Crescent | 12 |
| On or near Carmichael Drive | 11 |
Of the 358 crimes in Shortstown with a recorded outcome, 30% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 5.6% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 55 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 138 | 38.5% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 109 | 30.4% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 39 | 10.9% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 20 | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Status update unavailable | 19 | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 13 | 3.6% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 7 | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 3 | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.6% | 3.1% |
Shortstown has an estimated population of 5,894 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has a younger population (5.6%, against 18.9%), fewer households without a car (9.1%, against 23.3%) and fewer retired residents (8.5%, against 21.6%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Shortstown average decile 6.0 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Shortstown | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 26.0% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 5.6% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 75.0% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 8.5% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.2% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 10.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 9.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.4% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 18.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 10.3% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 6.0 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Shortstown a safe place to live?
Shortstown recorded 70.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 774th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Shortstown?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 159 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (55).
Is crime in Shortstown going up or down?
Recorded crime in Shortstown was down 8% on the year before: 413 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 450 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Shortstown?
About 5,894 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 5.6% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Shortstown?
Shortstown 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.