New police stats show a decrease in shoplifting in South Ayrshire

Incidences of shoplifting in South Ayrshire have decreased, new police stats show.

In Police Scotland in South Ayrshire’s Q2 report, they say that there were 505 reported incidents of shoplifting over the reporting period of April 1 to September 30 this year.

That figure is down more than 12 per cent when compared to the previous Q2 figure of 575.

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The police report says: “The prevalence of shoplifting is replicated across Ayrshire and nationally. Our dedicated town centre officers and locality officers have positive relationships with our retailers and are working collaboratively, sharing intelligence and ensuring all opportunities of identifying offenders is undertaken and thereafter bringing those persons to justice.

“Organised retail crime groups continue to operate throughout Scotland. Where we have had successes, arresting those responsible and disrupting such criminal groups, we share intelligence nationally and through Retailers Against Crime (RAC).

“We continue with an operating model of each major supermarket having a single point of contact (SPOC). The purpose of the SPOC is to identify and report offenders promptly as some offenders have committed numerous thefts within these premises.”

Overall, acquisitive crime, which includes housebreaking, vehicle crime, fraud, common theft, shoplifting and other thefts, is 6.1 per cent down on the five-year average.

The Q2 report says: “The picture in terms of acquisitive crime in South Ayrshire is currently a positive one. Overall, the numbers are below the figures for the same period last year and also below the five-year average.

“There are some areas which are still above the five-year average - fraud and shoplifting - but the numbers of shopliftings in particular have dropped markedly this year.”

The report also states that fraud type crimes continue to “record high numbers” and have done since 2020 (Covid-19 era), when more people moved their shopping habits online making them “more vulnerable” to potential scams and fake sites.

The report continues: “Cyber-type frauds continue to be problematic whether this is due to goods purchased and not received, monies not received for goods sent or false websites. There has been a recent spate of crimes involving telephone calls to vulnerable individuals claiming to be from the Police and getting individuals to transfer large sums of cash, South Ayrshire have recorded three such crimes, so far.”

Housebreaking crimes have “decreased markedly” and are well below the five-year average too, says the report.

The only area of this crime type which has recorded an increase relates to commercial type premises which is recording a “very slight increase.”

The report adds: “There is one repeat location on the High Street in Ayr, which has been targeted on four occasions this year already.”