Houghton Regis Crime Rate January 2025 | Monthly Statistics

The crime profile of Houghton Regis in January 2025 reveals a distinct imbalance between violent and property crimes, with violence and sexual offences dominating at 45.7% of the total. This stark contrast with the UK average, where such offences account for 2.5 per 1,000 (compared to Houghton Regis' 4.3 per 1,000), suggests local factors may be influencing this trend. The area's overall crime rate of 9.4 per 1,000 is 32.4% above the UK's 7.1, a disparity that reflects the prominence of violent crime. Seasonal context may partly explain this pattern: January's post-holiday period typically sees reduced retail footfall, which could lower shoplifting rates, yet violent crime remains elevated. Anti-social behaviour (11.3% of total crimes) and shoplifting (12.9%) also feature prominently, though both are significantly higher than UK averages. This mix of crime types aligns with the characteristics of a built-up area within Central Bedfordshire, where a combination of residential density and commercial activity may contribute to higher levels of interpersonal conflict and minor offences. The absence of a major UK-wide initiative or policy change in January 2025 suggests that local dynamics—such as community demographics or policing strategies—are more likely to explain the data. However, the sharp increase in violence and sexual offences, which rose by 13.3% month-on-month, may warrant further investigation into specific hotspots or underlying social factors.

Violence and sexual offences rose by 13.3% in January compared to December, increasing from 75 to 85 incidents. This category alone contributes 45.7% of all crimes, significantly higher than the UK average of 2.5 per 1,000 (71% above). Shoplifting incidents also climbed, with a 94% increase over the UK average rate. Meanwhile, possession of weapons fell by two-thirds, and robbery decreased by 50%. The crime mix reveals a stark imbalance: 54.3% of incidents are violent, compared to 45.7% for property crimes, a divergence from the UK's more even distribution. For residents, the sharp rise in violence and sexual offences stands out as a key concern, with 85 incidents reported—over 45% of the total crime count. This shift underscores the need for targeted measures in areas where violent crime is concentrated.

Houghton Regis' crime rate in January 2025 fell by 4.1% compared to December 2024, declining from 9.8 to 9.4 per 1,000 residents. This slight reduction contrasts with the area's overall position above the UK average, which remains 32.4% higher. On a daily basis, the area recorded approximately six crimes per day in January, a figure that provides context for local residents assessing risk levels. Over the course of the month, one reported crime occurred for roughly every 107 residents, a monthly exposure rate that highlights the frequency of incidents relative to the population. With 19,813 residents, the population-scaled perspective shows that the crime rate, while elevated, does not translate to an overwhelming presence of crime in any single household. These figures suggest that while the area experiences a higher-than-average crime burden, the distribution of incidents is spread across the community rather than concentrated in specific locations.