Houghton Conquest Crime Rate

Houghton Conquest is a secure and well-regarded urban settlement in Central Bedfordshire, boasting a safety score of 87/100. The area's overall crime rate stands at 53.0 per 1,000 people, which is notably lower than the UK average of 91.6. The crime trend in the village is currently stable, with a slight 4.7% decrease over the past year, indicating a consistent safety environment for its 1,546 residents. While violence and sexual offences are the most frequently reported crime types, the property crime rate is exceptionally low at 13.6 per 1,000, significantly outperforming the national benchmark of 32.2. This data suggests that Houghton Conquest remains a low-risk area, particularly for property-related offences, offering peace of mind to homeowners and families alike.

Crime in Houghton Conquest

Houghton Conquest experiences a crime profile heavily weighted towards violence and sexual offences, which constitute 42.7% of all recorded crimes. This is followed by anti-social behaviour at 18.3% and criminal damage and arson at 12.2%. Public order offences also feature prominently, making up nearly 10% of the local data. These figures suggest that most police activity in the area is focused on interpersonal incidents and community disturbances rather than organised theft.

Property crime in Houghton Conquest, including burglary, vehicle crime, and theft, sits at a rate of 13.6 per 1,000 people. This is significantly lower than the UK average of 32.2. Specifically, burglary is relatively rare, accounting for only 2.4% of total crime, while vehicle crime stands at 3.7%. Other theft categories make up 7.3% of reports. For residents, these statistics indicate that while the risk of personal property being stolen or broken into is low by national standards, there is a consistent level of 'other' theft and criminal damage that warrants attention to home and vehicle security. Homeowners should feel generally secure, but maintaining a visible deterrent is key to keeping these opportunistic property crimes at their current low levels.

Crime Trends in Houghton Conquest

The crime trend in Houghton Conquest is currently classified as stable, with a modest year-over-year decrease of 4.7%. This indicates that the village is not experiencing a significant surge in criminal activity and that the current safety environment is well-maintained. Analysis of the monthly data for 2025 shows a relatively consistent crime rate, though some seasonal fluctuations are evident.

The year started with a rate of 4.5 in January, followed by a quieter February at 2.6. A notable peak occurred in June, where the rate reached 7.1 per 1,000 residents, the highest of the year. Another smaller spike was observed in August (5.8). These summer peaks are common in residential areas and often involve increases in anti-social behaviour or criminal damage. The latter part of the year remained steady, with rates hovering between 3.2 and 4.5. This lack of extreme volatility suggests that crime in Houghton Conquest is predictable and manageable, reflecting a community where safety is a consistent priority for both residents and local law enforcement.

How To Keep Safe in Houghton Conquest

The highest crime category in Houghton Conquest is violence and sexual offences. While these are often interpersonal, maintaining general personal and home safety is always advisable. Here are specific tips for the area:

• Improve Night-time Lighting: Vehicle crime accounts for 23% of night-time incidents. Ensure your driveway and the front of your property are well-lit with motion-sensor lighting to deter opportunistic thieves.
• Secure Valuables During the Day: Theft is most common during the morning and afternoon hours. If you are working from home or out for the day, ensure that laptops, bags, and car keys are not visible through windows.
• Be Aware of Surroundings: For personal safety, stay alert when walking alone in the evenings. Stick to well-lit paths and let someone know your expected arrival time if walking across the village after dark.
• Join the Local Community Watch: Engaging with neighbours and local social media groups can provide real-time updates on suspicious activity, which is particularly useful in a close-knit village like Houghton Conquest.
• Reinforce Ground Floor Entry Points: Although burglary is low, most incidents occur in the afternoon or night. Ensure windows are locked and consider anti-snap locks for external doors to provide an extra layer of physical security.

Crime in Houghton Conquest follows distinct time-of-day patterns that correlate with the type of offence. During the morning (6am - 12pm) and afternoon (12pm - 6pm), theft-related crimes are at their peak, accounting for 45% and 50% of incidents respectively. This suggests that opportunistic theft is most likely to occur during busy daylight hours when there is more movement within the village.

As the day transitions into the evening and night, the focus shifts towards property and vehicle security. Vehicle crime, which is relatively low during the day, spikes to 23% of all incidents between 12am and 6am. Burglary also sees its highest percentage during the night-time window at 15%. This nocturnal increase in property-focused crime highlights the importance of overnight security measures. Conversely, violence and anti-social behaviour reports are more evenly spread but tend to concentrate in the late afternoon and evening hours as social activity increases. Understanding these cycles allows residents to be more targeted in their safety precautions.

In the local context of Central Bedfordshire, Houghton Conquest maintains a strong safety profile. It is significantly more secure than Wixams, which has a crime rate of 65.2 per 1,000, and Stewartby at 60.8. While it does not reach the zero-crime status of Kempston Hardwick, it compares reasonably with Wilstead (29.7). For those considering the region, Houghton Conquest offers a balanced environment—it is safer than the larger, more rapidly developing urban areas nearby while still providing the amenities of a settled village. This positioning makes it an attractive option for those who prioritise a secure residential setting without the total isolation of smaller hamlets. Overall, the area sits well within the safer half of local settlements.

Houghton Conquest's property crime rate of 13.6 per 1,000 people is impressively low, yet the data shows that burglary and vehicle crime still occur, particularly under the cover of darkness. For residents looking to maintain this high standard of safety, the transition from reactive to proactive security is essential. Traditional home security systems, such as standard CCTV or doorbell cameras, are often reactive—they provide you with a recording of a crime that has already taken place.

In contrast, scOS offers a proactive AI-powered operating system that aims to prevent crime before it happens. By using multi-camera intelligence to monitor your property boundaries, scOS can distinguish between a delivery driver and a potential intruder. If a threat is detected, the system can autonomously activate lights or speakers, destroying the element of surprise that burglars rely on. In an area like Houghton Conquest, where property crime is infrequent but present, such a system ensures your home remains a difficult target, discouraging opportunistic offenders from even attempting a break-in.