Crime in Wootton (Bedford): statistics, rates and trends
305 crimes were recorded in Wootton (Bedford) in the 12 months to August 2026, 36.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 7% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Wootton (Bedford) at a glance
- Crime trends in Wootton (Bedford)
- Types of crime in Wootton (Bedford)
- Wootton (Bedford) compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Wootton (Bedford)
- Streets with the most crime in Wootton (Bedford)
- What happened after crimes were reported in Wootton (Bedford)
- Demographics of Wootton (Bedford)
- Questions about crime in Wootton (Bedford)
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (133), anti-social behaviour (67) and public order (25) made up 74% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 1,334th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | Wootton (Bedford) | Bedford | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 305 | 18,621 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 36.5 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +7% | +5% | -1% |
| Population | 8,350 | 194,976 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Wootton (Bedford) peaked in the year to August 2022 (426 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2018 (276). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 11%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 305 | 36.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 286 | 34.3 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 304 | 36.4 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 326 | 39.0 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 426 | 51.0 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 327 | 39.2 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 385 | 46.1 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 305 | 36.5 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 276 | 33.1 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 33 |
| July 2026 | 26 |
| June 2026 | 30 |
| May 2026 | 38 |
| April 2026 | 34 |
| March 2026 | 28 |
| February 2026 | 13 |
| January 2026 | 26 |
| December 2025 | 21 |
| November 2025 | 15 |
| October 2025 | 20 |
| September 2025 | 21 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and criminal damage and arson (63% below) and other theft (57% below) were well below it. On the year before, violence and sexual offences rose from 111 to 133.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 133 | 15.9 | 34.2 | +20% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 67 | 8.0 | 15.4 | +10% |
| Public order | 25 | 3.0 | 6.7 | -11% |
| Other theft | 23 | 2.8 | 6.4 | n/a |
| Criminal damage and arson | 21 | 2.5 | 6.7 | -9% |
| Vehicle crime | 8 | 1.0 | 5.0 | n/a |
| Other crime | 7 | 0.8 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Shoplifting | 7 | 0.8 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 3 | 0.4 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Burglary | 3 | 0.4 | 3.6 | n/a |
| Drugs | 2 | 0.2 | 3.3 | n/a |
| Robbery | 1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest towns has a higher crime rate than Wootton (Bedford).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Wootton (Bedford) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kempston | 2,008 | 94.2 | +158% |
| Marston Moretaine | 300 | 53.2 | +46% |
| Wixams | 588 | 69.9 | +91% |
| Cranfield | 372 | 42.6 | +17% |
| Bedford | 12,865 | 125.5 | +244% |
| Shortstown | 413 | 70.1 | +92% |
| Ampthill | 370 | 39.9 | +9% |
| Flitwick | 571 | 50.0 | +37% |
Wootton & Kempston Rural is the one area listed within Wootton (Bedford), with 34.3 crimes per 1,000 residents.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wootton & Kempston Rural | Neighbourhood | 9,980 | 342 | 34.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 33% of the crime recorded in Wootton (Bedford) over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Folkes Road” (16).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Folkes Road | 16 |
| On or near Duncombe Drive | 12 |
| On or near Fields Road | 12 |
| On or near Cause End Road | 11 |
| On or near Manor Road | 9 |
| On or near Old School Gardens | 9 |
| On or near Johnson Avenue | 8 |
| On or near Pilsbury Close | 8 |
| On or near Tithe Barn Road | 8 |
| On or near Keeley Lane | 7 |
Of the 238 crimes in Wootton (Bedford) with a recorded outcome, 28% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 2.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 67 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 99 | 41.6% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 67 | 28.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 32 | 13.4% | 11.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 16 | 6.7% | 1.3% |
| Status update unavailable | 9 | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 6 | 2.5% | 5.2% |
| Court result unavailable | 3 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Local resolution | 2 | 0.8% | 3.1% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 1 | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 1 | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Wootton (Bedford) has an estimated population of 8,350 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has less private renting (5.7%, against 20.3%), fewer households without a car (9.4%, against 23.3%) and fewer students (5.1%, against 7.9%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Wootton (Bedford) average decile 7.3 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Wootton (Bedford) | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 24.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14.2% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 66.4% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 19.3% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 36.0% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 11.7% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 9.4% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 78.6% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 15.6% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 5.7% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 7.3 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Wootton (Bedford) a safe place to live?
Wootton (Bedford) recorded 36.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 1,334th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Wootton (Bedford)?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 133 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (67).
Is crime in Wootton (Bedford) going up or down?
Recorded crime in Wootton (Bedford) was up 7% on the year before: 305 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 286 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Wootton (Bedford)?
About 8,350 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 14% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Wootton (Bedford)?
Wootton (Bedford) 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.