Police Scotland has recorded a marked decrease in shoplifting incidents in South Ayrshire in its Q2 Performance Summary Report.
There were 505 shoplifting incidents recorded from April 1 to September 30 2024, while 575 took place during the same timeframe in the previous year, a drop of 12%.
However, the 2024 figures are still significantly higher than the five year average, which stands at 454.2.
The report said: “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 disrupting such criminal groups we share intelligence nationally and through Retailers Against Crime. 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.”
