Shoplifting in Scotland rocketed last year amid fears the cost-of-living crisis is pushing desperate people to resort to stealing.
Crime stats published by the Scottish Government show 24,877 incidents were logged by police in the year ending June 2022 - a rise of 18 per cent on the previous 12 months.
The figures, uncovered by 1919 magazine, are the equivalent to 68 thefts a day and buck a longer-term trend of decline as the annual figure had been falling year-on-year since 2018, when 32,122 crimes were recorded.
Pete Cheema, chief executive of the Scottish Grocers’ Federation said it could be “no coincidence” that thefts were increasing at the same time food and energy costs were soaring.
And he said there were "real concerns" that shoplifting may increase further over the winter, with the cost of crime to retailers "running into millions of pounds every year".
Cheema told 1919: “We are deeply concerned, though not surprised, that statistics confirm a rise in shoplifting across Scotland.
“It backs up what our members are telling us about increasing numbers of thefts. Shoplifting happens in their stores on a daily basis.
“Times may be difficult for many, but that is no excuse for shoplifting. We need to make it clear that this – and all retail crime – is completely unacceptable.”
Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone previously warned that the rising cost-of-living could have an impact on some types of crime.
In his end of year report for 2021/22, he said: “Entering into 2022/23, Scotland, like many countries, is facing a cost-of-living increase with fuel, energy, and food becoming more expensive.
“This has the potential to increase the vulnerability of some people, the attractiveness of some commodities as targets for acquisitive crime and lead to tensions between and within our communities.”
Most council areas saw a rise in shoplifting incidents recorded by police in the year to June 2022, with crimes doubling in Shetland and increasing by 98 per cent in Argyll and Bute.
Orkney logged a 67 per cent increase, Inverclyde was up 48 per cent, and 45 per cent more shoplifting crimes were logged in Dundee than in the previous year.
Only eight of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas saw the proportion of shoplifting crimes recorded fall.
Police Scotland’s latest performance report, covering the final quarter of 2021/22, said shoplifting crimes were rising after a decrease seen during the Covid lockdown but stressed they remained lower than the five-year average.
At the time, the force said the detection rate for shoplifting crimes had fallen, with face masks introduced during the pandemic having an impact as they made it more difficult to identify offenders.
Lib Dem justice spokesperson Liam McArthur said the year-on-year rise in shoplifting crimes was “troubling”.
He said: “Covid may have deprived some shoplifters of the opportunity but as restrictions have fallen away, we have seen crime levels bounce back.
“Officers are hugely stretched at the moment and every indication is that the situation is set to worsen with SNP cuts to justice budgets already on the table.
"Unless the Scottish Government changes course, more individuals and businesses will be on the wrong end of these crimes.”
Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Jamie Greene said: “It is incumbent on the Scottish Government to identify the reasons for this spike, through evidential analysis of crime stats, and report back to MSPs.
“It’s impossible to know if the lack of deterrence, a perception of low prosecution rates or a wider rise in the societal causes of petty theft are factors.
“The police themselves have previously warned that the perfect storm of cuts to their budgets on top of wider societal problems have the capacity to stretch police resources to their limit.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Recorded crime is at the lowest level seen since 1974, and down 43 per cent since 2006-07. We support independent law enforcement in keeping communities safe.
"We are doing everything possible within our limited powers and finite budget to help address the cost-of-living crisis – however, most of the key policy levers are held by the UK Government, which needs to take urgent action.
"We have allocated almost £3 billion in this financial year that will contribute towards mitigating the increased costs households are facing."
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