Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
MK40 · Bedford Borough
600
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
LU6 · Central Bedfordshire
101
crimes in April 2026
Below national average
Dunstable has less crime — 101 vs 600 incidents in April 2026.
Bedford recorded substantially more crime than Dunstable in April 2026 — 600 incidents compared to 101, a 5.9x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Bedford sees higher rates of Shoplifting (79), while Dunstable has more Other theft (9). Bedford sits above the national average for recorded crime while Dunstable is below — a significant gap for anyone weighing up the two.
Full reports cover 24 months of trends, ward breakdowns, outcome rates, and a detailed safety score — from £4.99.
Based on April 2026 Police data, Dunstable recorded fewer crimes than Bedford — 101 vs 600 incidents. That is 83% fewer crimes. Dunstable is also below the national average for crime.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Bedford saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Dunstable had more Other theft. Overall, Dunstable recorded fewer total crimes (101 vs 600).