Baldock Crime Rate

Baldock is a safe and stable urban settlement with an overall crime rate of 85.1 per 1,000 people. This figure is comfortably below the UK average of 91.7, contributing to a safety score of 80/100. The town's crime trend is currently stable, with a negligible 1.8% increase year-over-year, indicating a consistent safety profile. For homeowners, the property crime rate is particularly encouraging at 24.2 per 1,000, which is significantly lower than the national average of 32.3. These statistics suggest that Baldock remains a secure residential choice within North Hertfordshire, offering a lower risk of crime than many comparable UK towns.

Crime Breakdown in Baldock

In Baldock, the most frequent crime type is violence and sexual offences, representing 37.9% of all reported incidents (349 crimes). This is followed by anti-social behaviour at 26.1% and 'other theft' at 7.9%. These figures suggest that, like many urban settlements, interpersonal and public order issues are the primary concerns for local residents.

Property-related crime in Baldock, which includes burglary, theft, vehicle crime, and criminal damage, occurs at a rate of 24.2 per 1,000 people. This is notably lower than the UK average of 32.3. Within this category, criminal damage and arson (7.1%) and vehicle crime (6.1%) are the most prominent. Burglary is relatively rare, accounting for only 2.1% of total crimes. For homeowners, this indicates that while the risk of forced entry is statistically low, protecting vehicles and property from opportunistic damage or theft remains important in maintaining the town's overall safety.

Crime Trends in Baldock

The crime trend in Baldock is currently stable, having seen a very minor increase of 1.8% over the past year. This indicates a consistent level of safety for the town's 10,804 residents. Analysis of the monthly data from December 2024 to November 2025 shows some notable fluctuations throughout the period.

The year began with rates of 7.0 in December and 7.5 in January, followed by a dip to 5.2 in April. However, the town experienced two significant peaks: one in June with a rate of 9.1 and another in October, which saw the year's high of 9.2. Outside of these spikes, the crime rate generally remained between 6.2 and 7.4 per 1,000 people. These occasional surges in activity do not appear to represent a long-term upward trend but rather isolated periods of increased reporting, leaving Baldock's overall safety profile intact.

How To Keep Safe in Baldock

The most common crime type in Baldock is violence and sexual offences. To stay safe, particularly in the town centre during evening hours, it is wise to stay in well-lit areas and plan your transport in advance. If you are walking home, try to stay with a group and avoid less-populated shortcuts.

Anti-social behaviour is also a significant report category (26.1%). Residents can help mitigate this by participating in local neighbourhood watch schemes and reporting any nuisance activity to the police promptly. This helps law enforcement identify hotspots and allocate resources effectively.

Given that vehicle crime is one of the more prevalent property offences (6.1%), always ensure your car is locked and parked in a well-lit area or garage if possible. Never leave valuables on display inside the vehicle. For homeowners, ensuring that side gates are locked and that the front of the property is clearly visible from the street can help deter opportunistic 'other theft,' which accounts for 7.9% of Baldock's crime. Always remain vigilant and look out for your neighbours to maintain Baldock's strong community safety.

Crime Patterns in Baldock

Crime in Baldock follows a distinct temporal pattern influenced by the town's commercial and social rhythms. During the morning hours (6am - 12pm), 'other theft' is the most dominant category, accounting for 49% of incidents as shops open and footfall increases. This trend continues into the afternoon (12pm - 6pm), where theft-related offences peak at 56%.

As the day transitions into the evening (6pm - 12am), the focus shifts towards 'other' crimes, which include anti-social behaviour and public order offences, making up 44% of activity. Night-time (12am - 6am) sees a significant rise in vehicle crime, which accounts for 50% of all reported incidents during these hours. Burglary remains relatively stable across the day, though it is slightly more frequent in the afternoon, evening, and night (11% each) compared to the morning (6%). This suggests that opportunistic property crime is most likely to occur when vehicles and homes are less supervised.

Baldock is situated in a relatively safe region of North Hertfordshire. When compared to the nearby town of Letchworth, which has a slightly higher crime rate of 87.3 per 1,000, Baldock appears marginally safer. However, it does have a higher crime rate than smaller surrounding settlements like Stotfold (50.7 per 1,000) and Arlesey (62.9 per 1,000). For those considering the local area, Baldock offers a balance between the amenities of a market town and a safety profile that is better than the national average. Nearby Weston reports a rate of 0.0, though this often reflects a very small population or data reporting boundaries rather than a total absence of incidents.

Protecting Your Property in Baldock

With Baldock's property crime rate at 24.2 per 1,000 people, residents enjoy a safer environment than many UK urban dwellers. However, vehicle crime and criminal damage still make up a combined 13.2% of total reports. Traditional security measures, like standard CCTV, are often insufficient because they are reactive; they record a crime but do not stop it. By the time you receive a notification on your phone, the intruder may have already caused damage or stolen property.

A proactive approach is far more effective for Baldock homeowners. The scOS AI-powered security system focuses on prevention by detecting threats at the property boundary. Using multi-camera intelligence, it can distinguish between a neighbour and a suspicious stranger, or identify a vehicle with cloned plates. When a genuine threat is detected, scOS can trigger an autonomous response, such as activating security lights or audio warnings. This immediate intervention destroys the element of surprise that criminals rely on, often causing them to move on before any crime is committed. In a town where opportunistic theft is more likely than forced entry, scOS provides the highest level of deterrence.