Crime in Stevenage: statistics, rates and trends
10,934 crimes were recorded in Stevenage in the 12 months to August 2026, 115.1 per 1,000 residents. That is higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 10% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Stevenage at a glance
- Crime trends in Stevenage
- Types of crime in Stevenage
- Stevenage compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Stevenage
- Streets with the most crime in Stevenage
- What happened after crimes were reported in Stevenage
- Demographics of Stevenage
- Questions about crime in Stevenage
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (4,307), anti-social behaviour (1,840) and shoplifting (931) made up 65% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 213th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the highest quarter.
| Measure | Stevenage | Stevenage | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 10,934 | 10,907 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 115.1 | 118.8 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +10% | +11% | -1% |
| Population | 95,006 | 91,774 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Stevenage peaked in the year to August 2018 (11,569 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (9,113). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 5%, in line with England and Wales.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 10,934 | 115.1 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 9,898 | 104.2 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 9,113 | 95.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 9,469 | 99.7 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 10,634 | 111.9 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 10,347 | 108.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 10,838 | 114.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 11,496 | 121.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 11,569 | 121.8 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 1,017 |
| July 2026 | 1,076 |
| June 2026 | 937 |
| May 2026 | 946 |
| April 2026 | 871 |
| March 2026 | 980 |
| February 2026 | 816 |
| January 2026 | 829 |
| December 2025 | 857 |
| November 2025 | 803 |
| October 2025 | 911 |
| September 2025 | 891 |
Compared with England and Wales, Stevenage recorded notably more bicycle theft (58% above the national rate), violence and sexual offences (32% above the national rate) and drugs (30% above the national rate), and notably less theft from the person (56% below) and burglary (37% below). On the year before, drugs rose from 239 to 404 and robbery rose from 66 to 102, while theft from the person fell from 88 to 70.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 4,307 | 45.3 | 34.2 | +16% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,840 | 19.4 | 15.4 | -10% |
| Shoplifting | 931 | 9.8 | 8.5 | +25% |
| Public order | 761 | 8.0 | 6.7 | +15% |
| Other theft | 717 | 7.5 | 6.4 | -7% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 700 | 7.4 | 6.7 | +2% |
| Vehicle crime | 433 | 4.6 | 5.0 | +39% |
| Drugs | 404 | 4.3 | 3.3 | +69% |
| Other crime | 230 | 2.4 | 2.1 | +21% |
| Burglary | 214 | 2.3 | 3.6 | +4% |
| Bicycle theft | 124 | 1.3 | 0.8 | +53% |
| Robbery | 102 | 1.1 | 1.4 | +55% |
| Possession of weapons | 101 | 1.1 | 1.0 | +2% |
| Theft from the person | 70 | 0.7 | 1.7 | -20% |
What each category covers: crime categories.
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Stevenage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hitchin | 2,533 | 69.9 | -39% |
| Letchworth | 2,848 | 84.7 | -26% |
| Baldock | 806 | 75.2 | -35% |
| Welwyn Garden City | 5,088 | 100.0 | -13% |
| Buntingford | 563 | 67.3 | -42% |
| Stotfold | 664 | 48.5 | -58% |
| Arlesey | 368 | 57.8 | -50% |
| Hertford | 2,537 | 81.9 | -29% |
Of the 14 areas within Stevenage, Bedwell had the highest crime rate (284.1 per 1,000) and Great Ashby the lowest (45.1), 6 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedwell | Neighbourhood | 8,824 | 2,507 | 284.1 |
| Roebuck | Neighbourhood | 7,401 | 1,389 | 187.7 |
| Woodfield | Neighbourhood | 5,965 | 1,057 | 177.2 |
| Almond Hill | Neighbourhood | 9,386 | 1,254 | 133.6 |
| Old Town | Neighbourhood | 4,566 | 508 | 111.3 |
| Shephall | Neighbourhood | 6,552 | 614 | 93.7 |
| Bandley Hill & Poplars | Neighbourhood | 6,926 | 610 | 88.1 |
| Symonds Green | Neighbourhood | 6,373 | 555 | 87.1 |
| Chells | Neighbourhood | 8,672 | 690 | 79.6 |
| St Nicholas | Neighbourhood | 6,874 | 519 | 75.5 |
| Martins Wood | Neighbourhood | 6,633 | 443 | 66.8 |
| Longmeadow | Neighbourhood | 5,981 | 396 | 66.2 |
| Manor | Neighbourhood | 7,621 | 365 | 47.9 |
| Great Ashby | Neighbourhood | 6,049 | 273 | 45.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 35% of the crime recorded in Stevenage over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (1,310).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 1,310 |
| On or near Supermarket | 716 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 414 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 320 |
| On or near Monkswood Way | 267 |
| On or near Police Station | 223 |
| On or near Nightclub | 187 |
| On or near Hospital | 160 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 122 |
| On or near Further/Higher Educational Building | 97 |
Of the 9,094 crimes in Stevenage with a recorded outcome, 29% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 7.2% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 1,840 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 3,343 | 36.8% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 2,592 | 28.5% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 1,100 | 12.1% | 11.5% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 653 | 7.2% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 464 | 5.1% | 3.1% |
| Status update unavailable | 423 | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 199 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 138 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 64 | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 55 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 27 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 26 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Stevenage has an estimated population of 95,006 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more social housing (25%, against 17%), fewer students (5.7%, against 7.9%) and less private renting (15%, against 20%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Stevenage average decile 5.5 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | Stevenage | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 20.3% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 15.3% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 64.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 17.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 30.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 16.8% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 19.8% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.3% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 25.4% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 15.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.5 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Stevenage a safe place to live?
Stevenage recorded 115.1 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, higher than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 213th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest). The categories most above the national rate were bicycle theft and violence and sexual offences.
What is the most common crime in Stevenage?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 4,307 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (1,840).
Is crime in Stevenage going up or down?
Recorded crime in Stevenage was up 10% on the year before: 10,934 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 9,898 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Stevenage?
About 95,006 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 15% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Stevenage?
Stevenage is policed by Hertfordshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.