A total of 844 crimes were recorded under the Protection of Workers (Scotland) Act between April and June 2022, a new Police Scotland report reveals.
The report reveals crime rates have increased steadily since the act came into force in August 2021, with an average of nine crimes a day now being recorded.
Three of the reports in the latest quarter were serious assaults, 390 were common assaults, and 451 were threatening and abusive behaviour against retail workers.
In addition, the report shows that shoplifting is on the rise. There were 7,400 incidents of shoplifting reported across Scotland Between April and June 2022, an increase of 35.8% on the same period last year.
