Total Crime Rate

202.1 per 1,000 9/10 · Very High

All offences · May 2025 - Apr 2026

Violent Crime Rate

95.7 per 1,000 9/10 · Very 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 202.1 9/10
  • Violent crimes 95.7 9/10
  • Violence and sexual offences 63.8 9/10
  • Burglary 28.4 10/10
  • Public order 28.4 10/10
  • Anti-social behaviour 24.8 8/10
  • Drugs 17.7 10/10
  • Vehicle crime 17.7 10/10
  • Bicycle theft 7.1 8/10
  • Other theft 7.1 6/10
  • Criminal damage and arson 3.6 3/10
  • Possession of weapons 3.6 5/10
  • Other crime 0.0 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

Merchants Court area has the 13th highest crime rate of 82 local areas in Cauldwell , and the 54th highest crime rate of 543 local areas in Bedford .

Crime levels at this postcode are much higher than in the adjoining streets, suggesting that most neighbouring areas are relatively safer than this one.

The overall crime rate in the area around Merchants Court (MK42 0AT) in the last 12 months was 202.1 per 1,000 residents and was 28.8% higher than the Cauldwell average (157.0 per 1,000 residents). In the last 12 months, this area’s most reported crimes were Violence and sexual offences with 18 offences recorded. The least common crime was Criminal damage and arson with 1 case , unchanged from 2025. The fastest-growing crime category was Bicycle theft ( 100.0% YoY). The sharpest decline was Vehicle crime ( -16.7% YoY).

Violent crimes totalled 27 (≈ 95.7 per 1,000 residents). Year-over-year these were flat ( 0.0% ). Over the last decade, overall crime has falling ( -48.9% comparing early vs recent averages) .

In the area around Merchants Court (MK42 0AT), the main crime hotspot is near High Street. Police recorded 149 crimes here, including 90 violent or public-order offences. All these locations are within roughly 0.3 miles.

View Crime In Bedford

Crime Over Time in Merchants Court area

Showing crimes within 0.3 miles (30/83)
Month:
MonthCrimeLocation*Last Outcome
Apr 2026Vehicle crime Further/Higher Educational Building Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Bedesman Lane Unable to prosecute suspect
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Mill Street —
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Mill Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Other theft Parking Area Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Drugs Parking Area Under investigation
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour St John'S Street —
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences Shopping Area Unable to prosecute suspect
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour St John'S Street —
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour St John'S Street —
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour St John'S Street —
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour St John'S Street —
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour St John'S Street —
Apr 2026Other crime Bedesman Lane Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Other theft Bedesman Lane Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour St Leonards Mews —
Apr 2026Criminal damage and arson St John'S Street Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Drugs St John'S Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Drugs St John'S Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Public order St John'S Street Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour Howard Street —
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences High Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Violence and sexual offences High Street Unable to prosecute suspect
Apr 2026Shoplifting High Street Investigation complete; no suspect identified
Apr 2026Drugs High Street Awaiting court outcome
Apr 2026Burglary High Street Under investigation
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour High Street —
Apr 2026Anti-social behaviour High Street —
Apr 2026Criminal damage and arson Bedesman Lane Unable to prosecute suspect
Apr 2026Theft from the person Pilcroft Street Unable to prosecute suspect
* on or near this location Page 1 • Showing 30 of 83

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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