Side-by-side crime statistics from official UK Police data.
MK41 · Bedford Borough
179
crimes in April 2026
Near national average
LU1 · Luton
790
crimes in April 2026
Above national average
Bedford has less crime — 179 vs 790 incidents in April 2026.
Luton recorded substantially more crime than Bedford in April 2026 — 790 incidents compared to 179, a 4.4x difference. The crime profiles diverge meaningfully: Bedford sees higher rates of Shoplifting (38), while Luton has more Other theft (70). Both areas sit near the national average, with modest differences in their overall safety profile.
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, Bedford recorded fewer crimes than Luton — 179 vs 790 incidents. That is 77% fewer crimes. Luton is above the national average.
The main difference lies in crime type. In April 2026, Bedford saw higher rates of Shoplifting while Luton had more Other theft. Overall, Bedford recorded fewer total crimes (179 vs 790).