Total Crime Rate

80.3 per 1,000 7/10 · High

All offences · May 2025 - Apr 2026

Violent Crime Rate

39.1 per 1,000 7/10 · High

May 2025 - Apr 2026
Latest update: 06.06.2026 Crime figures are sourced from data.police.uk and are typically published with a 3-month delay.
Crime rate per 1000 residents
  • All crimes 80.3 7/10
  • Violent crimes 39.1 7/10
  • Violence and sexual offences 26.0 6/10
  • Other theft 13.0 9/10
  • Public order 10.9 8/10
  • Burglary 6.5 7/10
  • Criminal damage and arson 6.5 5/10
  • Bicycle theft 4.3 7/10
  • Drugs 4.3 5/10
  • Anti-social behaviour 2.2 1/10
  • Other crime 2.2 1/10
  • Possession of weapons 2.2 1/10
  • Vehicle crime 2.2 1/10
  • Robbery 0.0 1/10
  • Shoplifting 0.0 1/10
  • Theft from the person 0.0 1/10
Values shown per 1,000 residents · May 2025 - Apr 2026 · Rating compares this oa to UK peers of the same type.
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Crime overview

Howard Avenue area has the 8th highest crime rate of 22 local areas in Greyfriars , and the 185th highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .

Neighbouring streets tend to have noticeably higher crime levels than this postcode. Crime here is lower than the average for the surrounding output areas.

The overall crime rate in the area around Howard Avenue (MK40 4ED) in the last 12 months was 80.3 per 1,000 residents and was 73.5% lower than the Greyfriars average (303.0 per 1,000 residents). In the last 12 months, this area’s most reported crimes were Violence and sexual offences with 12 offences recorded. The least common crime was Anti-social behaviour with 1 case , up 100.0% compared to 2025. The fastest-growing crime category was Anti-social behaviour ( 100.0% YoY). The sharpest decline was Vehicle crime ( -66.7% YoY).

Violent crimes totalled 18 (≈ 39.0 per 1,000 residents). Year-over-year these were falling ( -10.0% ). Over the last decade, overall crime has falling ( -48.1% comparing early vs recent averages) .

In the area around Howard Avenue (MK40 4ED), the main crime hotspot is near Henley Road. Police recorded 66 crimes here, including 43 violent or public-order offences. All these locations are within roughly 0.3 miles.

View Crime In Bedford

Crime Over Time in Howard Avenue area

Showing crimes within 0.3 miles (30/42)
Month:
MonthCrimeLocation*Last Outcome
Apr 2026Other crime Chestnut Avenue Under investigation
Apr 2026Other theft Granet Close Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Possession of weapons Kempster Close Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Kempster Close Under investigation
Apr 2026Criminal damage and arson Winifred Road Unable to prosecute suspect
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Cutcliffe Grove Unable to prosecute suspect
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Cutcliffe Grove Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Cutcliffe Grove Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Cutcliffe Gardens Under investigation
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Raleigh Street —
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Raleigh Street —
Apr 2026Criminal damage and arson Crowe Road Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Kempster Close —
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Hurst Grove Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Hurst Grove Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Criminal damage and arson Hurst Grove Under investigation
Apr 2026Criminal damage and arson Hurst Grove Under investigation
Apr 2026Other theft Queensbury Close Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Queensbury Close —
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Queensbury Close —
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Queensbury Close —
Apr 2026Other crime Dunville Road Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Dunville Road Under investigation
Apr 2026Other theft Kempster Close Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Other crime Cutcliffe Grove Unable to prosecute suspect
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Kempster Close —
Apr 2026Vehicle crime Dunville Road Under investigation
Apr 2026Criminal damage and arson Westbourne Road Under investigation
Apr 2026Vehicle crime Westbourne Road Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Westbourne Road Investigation complete; no suspect identified
* on or near this location Page 1 • Showing 30 of 42

Data Sources

StreetScan crime figures are based on official UK open data:

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right.

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