Houghton Regis Crime Rate

Houghton Regis is a busy and well-established town with an overall crime rate of 105.6 per 1,000 people. While this is higher than the UK average of 91.6, the town maintains a respectable safety score of 75/100. Most notably, the recent crime trend is decreasing significantly, with a 9.6% reduction year-over-year. This downward trajectory is a strong indicator of the town's improving safety profile. Residents in Houghton Regis benefit from a property crime rate that is slightly below the national average, making it a reliable choice for families and professionals. Understanding these patterns helps in taking informed steps toward personal and property security in this active urban settlement.

In Houghton Regis, violence and sexual offences are the most frequent crimes, accounting for 39.0% of the total with 815 incidents. Anti-social behaviour follows at 19.3%, and criminal damage is the third most common at 7.2%. These figures reflect the challenges of a busy urban area with a significant population and active residential communities.

Property crime in Houghton Regis has a rate of 30.6 per 1,000 residents, which is close to the UK average of 32.2. This category includes other theft (136), vehicle crime (134), shoplifting (75), burglary (74), and criminal damage (151). This property crime rate means that approximately 1 in 33 residents may experience a property-related offence each year. Other theft and vehicle crime stand out as the primary property concerns, followed closely by criminal damage and shoplifting. Burglary rates are relatively low at 3.7 per 1,000, but the overall volume of property-related offences indicates that home and vehicle security should be a key priority for local residents.

The crime trend in Houghton Regis is currently decreasing significantly, with a 9.6% drop in total crimes compared to the previous year. Analysis of the monthly data for 2025 shows that crime rates fluctuated between 7.0 and 10.3 per 1,000 people. The highest rates were recorded in August (10.3) and October (10.3), while the lowest occurred in February (7.0) and December (7.3). This overall downward trend, despite minor monthly variations, indicates that crime levels are being managed effectively. For residents, this decreasing trend means that the risk environment is improving, providing a more secure setting for personal and property planning.

How To Keep Safe in Houghton Regis

With violence and sexual offences being the most common crime type in Houghton Regis, personal safety in public spaces is important. The town's busy centre and residential areas require a proactive approach to staying safe, especially during peak activity hours.

1. When out in the town centre, especially during evening hours, stay in well-lit areas and be aware of your surroundings.
2. If you use public transport, especially late at night, try to wait in well-populated areas or under CCTV coverage.
3. Be mindful of your personal belongings in busy shopping areas and high-footfall locations to prevent opportunistic theft.
4. If you are walking in more secluded parts of the town, ensure you have a fully charged phone and let someone know your expected return time.
5. In residential areas, join a local Neighbourhood Watch scheme to stay informed about local safety issues and to help build a more vigilant community.

Crime in Houghton Regis follows distinct temporal patterns that reflect its role as a busy urban settlement. The morning and afternoon hours are characterised by theft, which makes up 42% and 48% of reports respectively, as the town's retail centre and commercial areas are at their busiest. In the evening, the focus shifts towards 'other' crimes, including anti-social behaviour, which accounts for 45% of incidents. At night, vehicle crime becomes the most significant risk, rising to 48% of all offences between midnight and 6am. Burglary also remains a notable threat at night (16%) and in the afternoon (17%). These patterns suggest that while daytime vigilance is needed for general theft, night-time security should focus heavily on vehicle and home protection.

Houghton Regis serves as a significant urban hub for its surrounding area, and its crime rate of 105.6 per 1,000 reflects this role. In comparison, nearby Dunstable has a lower rate of 82.9, while more rural areas like Chalton, Tebworth, and Tilsworth all reported a crime rate of 0.0 in this period's dataset. This disparity is common between a busy town and the quieter rural settlements that surround it. For those living in the region, Houghton Regis offers the most amenities and activity, but this comes with the higher crime levels typical of an urban centre, whereas neighbouring villages provide a much quieter safety profile.

In an area like Houghton Regis, where vehicle crime is a prominent property-related offence at 6.8 per 1,000, homeowners should focus on proactive security. Traditional CCTV systems are often reactive, recording an event after it has already occurred. scOS offers a more effective alternative by using AI to detect potential threats at your property's boundary. Its autonomous response features, such as activating floodlights or voice alerts, can deter a criminal before they even reach your vehicle or home. For Houghton Regis residents, especially those with high-value vehicles, scOS provides a sophisticated and preventative way to safeguard their property, ensuring it remains a safe haven in an already secure town.