Police Scotland Argyll & Bute Performance Summary Report - Reporting Period: April - June 2025
Argyll and Bute Council · 28 August 2025
Back to Community Services Committee — 28 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL x Argyll & Bute Performance Summary Report Reporting Period: April to June 2025 Total Crime 403 Crimes Incidents 4759 Overall Dishonesty 214 Domestic Abuse Inc 172 +4.4% +11% +6.2% -0.8% +52.5% -50%* Road Deaths & Serious Injuries 8 -10.4%* Sexual Crime 90 -390*PYTD, -654*5YR AVG +8*PYTD, +18*5YR AVG +21*PYTD, +29*5YR AVG +10*PYTD, +10*5YR AVG -2*PYTD, +42*5YR AVG +31*PYTD, +30*5YR AVG -8*on PYTD -49*PYTD Violent Crime 256 Missing People 40 Counter Terrorism +11*PYTD +37.9%* -7*PYTD, -6*5YR AVG Common Assault 190 -36.8% Housebreaking 12 Disorder Complaints 424 The National Terrorism Threat level is SUBSTANTIAL This means that an attack is likely. *PYTD = Previous Year to Date *5YR = 5 year average +26.8% -7.6%
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL SECTION PAGE NUMBER Introduction 2 Executive Summary 3 Demand Analysis 4 Acquisitive Crime 5 Public Protection 6 Road Safety 7 Serious Organised Crime 8 Violence 9 Antisocial Behaviour 10 Public Confidence - Complaints & Allegations 11 Introduction I am pleased to present this performance summary report to Committee for its information and consideration. The Reporting Period for this report is cumulative for Quarters 1 to 4 of 2024/25, with available figures being shown from 1st April 2025 through to 30th April 2025. Please note that all data included in this report are management information and not official statistics. All data are sourced from Police Scotland internal systems and are correct as of date of publication. Unless stated otherwise numerical comparisons are against the previous year to date and the previous five year average for the same data period specified. Crimes and offences are grouped under recognised categories for statistical purposes. The Scottish Government defines these categories, as follows: Group 1 - Non Sexual Crimes of Violence Group 6 – Anti-social offences Group 2 - Sexual Crimes Group 7 – Miscellaneous Offences Group 3 - Crimes of Dishonesty Group 8 – Road traffic offences Group 4 – Damage and reckless behaviour PYTD - Previous Year to Date Group 5 – Crimes against society CYTD - Current Year to Date
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL PRIORITY AREA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Acquisitive Crime At the end of Qtr.1, acquisitive crimes have seen an increase of 11% from 193 to 214 crimes. This has largely been driven by an increase in common thefts throughout Argyll and Bute (+53%), while shopliftings (-5) and housebreaking offences (-7) have both seen slight reductions year on year. Public Protection Group 2 sexual crimes have also risen by 52.3% from 59 to 90 crimes. This is largely due to an increase in sexual assaults (+19), while rape offences have also risen marginally (+3). Group 2 figures continue to be influenced by a rise in non-recent reporting, which continues to account for a significant proportion of both crime types. Road Safety & Road Crime We continue to record a positive reduction in the number of casualties involved in road traffic collisions within Argyll and Bute compared to last year. The number of fatal road traffic collisions within Argyll and Bute has reduced marginally from 2 to 1 as at the end of Qtr. 1. Road traffic collisions involving serious and slight injuries have also decreased from 14 to 7 and 20 to 14 respectively. Serious Organised Crime At the end of Qtr. 1, drug supply offences have reduced slightly with 4 crimes compared to 9 the previous year, whilst possession charges have shown a notable increase of 52.3% from 88 to 134. Across Argyll & West Dunbartonshire 12 crimes linked to persons associated with serious and organised crime have been recorded and £17,910 has been seized under POCA since 1st April 2025. Violence & ASB At the end of Qtr. 1 2025, Group 1 crimes of violence have reduced marginally with 256 crimes compared to 258 the previous year to date, while anti-social behaviour (ASB) related crimes have increased by 24.8% from 242 to 302 crimes. 1. Acquisitive Crime 2. Public Protection 3. Road Safety & Road Crime 4. Serious Organised Crime 5. Violence & Anti-social behaviour ARGYLL & BUTE POLICING PRIORITIES 2023-2026
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL CRIME PYTD CYTD INCIDENTS PYTD CYTD Total Crimes & Offences 1604 2034 Total number of incidents 5149 4759 DEMAND ANALYSIS - * PYTD - PREVIOUS YEAR TO DATE CYTD - CURRENT YEAR TO DATE * * * * The total volume of crimes and offences recorded within Argyll and Bute has increased by 26.8% from the previous year and is currently above the previous 5 year average (1712). With the exception of a marginal reduction in Group 1 crimes of violence all crime types have experienced a notable rise in figures compared to the position in 2024/25 as at the end of Qtr. 1. Road traffic offences have seen the highest increase (+209) followed by Group 5 crimes against society (+93) and anti-social offences (+60).
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL ACQUISITIVE CRIME Common thefts have experienced the highest increase in terms of acquisitive crime from 49 to 75 crimes, which is currently above the 5 year average (59). In Argyll various thefts have occurred in/around Oban town centre relating to thefts of used cooking oil, while various thefts of machinery, power tools and construction materials have also been recorded at building sites and marinas throughout the local authority. The detection rate for common theft has reduced from 24.5% to 17.3%, however there is marginal change to the position in terms of the number of crimes detected. Shoplifting crimes have reduced by 10.2% with 44 crimes recorded compared to 49 the previous year. The current figure remains above the previous 5-year average (37) however. The detection rate has reduced slightly from 71.4% to 64%, which equates to a decrease of 7 crimes detected. Fraud has increased slightly in Argyll and Bute compared to last year, from 40 to 46 recorded crimes. Both social engineering and investment type frauds have recorded slight increases compared to last year while bank account takeovers and frauds pertaining to stolen debit cards have seen marginal reductions. The detection rate for fraud has increased marginally from 30% to 32.6%. Two, more organised elements, have been the primary contribution to this rise. The first relates to a series of thefts of used cooking oil from restaurateurs. This was the result of an organised crime group, based in England, who were committing crimes continuously all over the UK. We are pleased to advise that through work done locally, we were able to identify vehicles involved, leading to the arrest of 2 males and seizure of one of the vans involved within Scotland. There is a wider criminal framework, but for now the thefts have abated within Argyll & Bute. The other developing trend relates to mechanical plant, tools and diesel thefts from remote work sites. Again, such activity is normally more organised in nature and tends to be committed by offenders from outside of Argyll. On the 24th July we apprehended a group of 3 males targeting a site in Taynuilt, where they were found in the process of trying to steal diesel. All males have been charged and released with conditions not to enter Argyll. The rise in Frauds is harder to counter, as most occur online, with people interacting with offenders from the comfort of their home. Education for the residents of Argyll & Bute is key to driving this figure down. To help drive this, as well as regular communication and advice on social media and in the printed press, the Communities Team have been undertaking Fraud Awareness in towns to help engage the public and give protective advice, the latest being in Tesco Car Park, Oban, in July, to catch those that might not read media.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL An increase in this area is to be expected and follows wider patterns of growth across the UK. Many factors contribute to the increase, which include better reporting mechanisms, increased trust in Police to report sexual offences, wider third-party support for victims leading to disclosures, as well as Scottish Crime Recording Standards, where multiple crimes will be generated from one victim engagement. Consequently, sudden spikes are not cause for concern, but often correlate with the reporting of more complex cases, where one person could account for tens of crimes. Whilst the data shows a marked increase in child missing person reports, including those in care, we would expect to see this reduce in the next quarter’s results. This is down to the fact that our Missing Person Coordinator and Concern Hub review commonalities and preventative measures after each occurrence and liaise with stakeholders to prevent reoccurrence. The focus on Missing Persons, especially children, is heightened owing to the need to mitigate risk and future potential risk to the child involved, and the resource implications associated with thorough response to the incident. At the end of Qtr. 1, Group 2 crimes have increased by 52.5% with 59 crimes recorded compared to 90 (+31) in the same period last year. Much of the increase is due to a rise in sexual assaults from 18 to 37 crimes (+19) year on year, while ‘rape’ offences have also risen marginally by 3 crimes. Crimes relating to indecent images/communications have also risen from 20 to 31 crimes with approx. 84% being committed via online platforms. Approximately 66% of sexual assaults occurred in a private setting and 76% were committed by persons known to the victim. Much of the increase is due to a rise in non-recent reporting with nearly half of all crimes (47%) relating to non-recent reports, which is notably higher than 39% the PYTD. Similarly approx. 82% of rape offences occurred within a private space and 94% were committed by persons known to the victim. Domestic abuse incidents have seen a slight increase of 6.2% compared to last year from 162 to 172, while the number of crimes recorded has also risen slightly from 164 to 175. The detection rate for domestic abuse crimes has increased from 48.2% to 76% year on year. A total of 40 missing person reports had been recorded within Argyll and Bute as at end of Qtr. 1, which is an increase of 38% from last year (+11). MP reports relating to adults have reduced from 22 to 18 (-4), while reports relating to children and children in care have seen an increase from 7 to 21 (+14) year on year. PUBLIC PROTECTION
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL At the end of Qtr. 1, the number of fatal RTC’s recorded in Argyll and Bute has seen a marginal reduction from 2 to 1 year on year. RTC’s resulting in both serious and slight injuries have also decreased from 14 to 7 (-7) and 20 to 14 (-6), respectively. Road traffic offences have seen a considerable increase of 43.5% from 481 to 690 (+209). Speeding offences have experienced the highest increase (+69) followed by unlawful use of motor vehicle such as licence, insurance and registration offences (+57) and vehicle defect such as construction and lighting offences (+45). The increase in vehicle offences is largely a testament to proactive policing within Argyll and Bute during Qtr. 1. Road Traffic Casualties 2024/25 2025/26 Number of persons killed on our roads 2 1 Number of persons seriously injured 14 7 Number of persons slightly injured 20 14 Number of children seriously injured 0 0 The road network throughout Argyll & Bute continues to be something that galvanises engagement from Community Councils and their elected representatives, with regard to safety, speeding and antisocial behaviour from motorbikes and campervans. This concern from residents is understandable when it is noted we continue to see a significant increase in the volume of traffic on our main trunk roads throughout this first quarter, up by 80% compared to November 2024. Given the increase in traffic, the reduction in injuries is a welcome indicator of the pro-active policing taking place to ensure the safety of all that use our networks. One part of this is exemplified through enforcement, with the 43.5% increase in Road Traffic Offences. These stem from our officers patrolling the networks and ensuring they deal with any offences that are taking place, providing a visible deterrent on out arterial routes, positively influencing driver behaviour. Enforcement needs to be undertaken in conjunction with education. We previously highlighted the work of localised Road Safety Hubs, educating and supporting adult drivers, which continue to run. More recently, the Communities Team have undertaken their ‘Young Driver Presentation’ at the following schools around Argyll & Bute: Campbeltown, Oban, Tobermory, Tarbert, Lochgilphead, Rothesay, Dunoon, and Helensburgh. This input was targeted at S6 pupils, to help prevent issues before they develop. The initial feedback from schools has been very encouraging for repeating the programme next year. This input involves a case study of 4 drivers racing on a road leading to 2 fatalities, with the lesson plan reviewing the factors leading to the tragic outcome, including analysis of the ‘Fatal Five’ factors that lead to deaths on the road: driving under the influence of drink/drugs, no seatbelt use, speeding, fatigue and distraction (i.e. use of mobile phone). The problem of motorbikes, through safety, speeding and noise, during the Summer months continues to be something that galvanises complaints to Police through elected members, and will undoubtedly be of note to certain partners. We continue to work with stakeholders where possible and educate on what we can and cannot do as an agency, i.e. there is a general misconception that Police Scotland are responsible for Average Speed Cameras. It is to be noted that the A85 and A83 are continually raised as requiring Average Speed cameras, or heightened presence by Safety partnership Camera Vans, as well as other road processes/furniture to help control and drive down speeds. We will continue to be proactive with our enforcement measures, using designated Motorbike Officers for certain routes, but will happily engage with partners to help review any other options to strengthen road safety for the community. ROAD SAFETY AND ROAD CRIME
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Across Argyll & West Dunbartonshire, 12 crimes linked to persons associated with serious and organised crime have been recorded and £17,910 has been seized under POCA since 1st April 2025. At the end of Qtr. 1, drugs supply charges show a slight reduction compared to last year from 9 to 4 crimes, which is also below the previous 5-year average (10). Drug possession charges however have seen a 52.3% increase from 88 to 134 and are also considerably above the previous 5-year average (108). Organised crime continues to be a factor for our local officers to be aware of and directly tackle. We have already discussed elements of it within the ‘Acquisitive Crime’ section and the positive results that took place. Whilst the above graph could be interpreted that there has been a drop off in arrests for supply offences, it is important to consider it in context. Firstly, this quarter comes on the back of a drive at the start of the year, which flushed some supply activity out of places like Campbeltown, where we would expect to have less crime of a particular type after it’s been targeted. Secondly, the data shows the clear work ongoing in rebuilding the intelligence picture to map out activity for future warrants, exemplified with the increased rate of drug possession charges, with the Stop Search results correlating an increase, matching this proactive drive. Lastly, the charges for supply that have occurred, in part, relate to 3 large Cannabis Cultivations connected with Organised Crime Groups. Two of these were located in Dunoon and one was located in Oban. One site comprised an abandoned hotel, leading to complex scene management and evidence recovery. These warrants have resulted in close to £1 million worth of Cannabis being taken off the streets of Argyll and Bute. Those suspects recovered from the sites have been charged and further work is ongoing in reviewing the evidence collated to ascertain if other criminality can be identified and proactively moved upon, i.e. proceeds of crime, other cultivation localities, the wider criminal network. Quite often the initial warrant is just the start of the wider work that takes place to dismantle an organised crime group. SERIOUS & ORGANISED CRIME
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL VIOLENCE Whilst the percentage of recorded crime increased, recording of violent crime has remained reasonably stable. It is still the case that, unless drink related in a nighttime economy setting, the involved parties are usually known to one another. This is one of the factors that helps to drive the detection rate and it is good to see it return to above 70%, which would be a realistic target for this crime type. When the rate falls below 70% this is normally indicative of increased domestic assaults within dwellings, which are harder to prove if there is lack of corroborating evidence. There have been 12 Serious Assaults within this first quarter with 100% detection rate, with 6 having the perpetrator held to present before the court and 6 with the party released on Undertaking to present before court in the future. This figure is artificially high after an organised fight in Rothesay where all parties involved sustained injury. This is thankfully rare and was an isolated incident between parties that were feuding, with no wider risk to the public. Prevention is central to the goal of effective Policing and, across LB and LD areas, Summer Patrol Plans are in place, to help mitigate both ASB and violence. Analytics help drive the selection of areas to patrol as problem localities are identified. Should a licensed premise be contributing to this disorder meetings will take place with our Licensing Department to address the issue. Currently LD are engaged to help manage the activity of a couple of licensed premises that are contributing to disorder in the area. Again, education is central to this, working with the businesses to improve practice first, rather than penalise. Crimes of violence occurring within Argyll and Bute have marginally reduced from 258 to 256 (-2) year on year while the current figure remains 20% above the previous 5-year average (256). Crimes were largely spilt 60/40 public/private space with just over half (54%) of all public space crimes being committed by persons known to the victim. With the exception of a slight increase in common assaults from 182 to 190 crimes (+8) the majority of Group 1 crimes of violence have experienced marginal change compared to the position at the end of Qtr. 1 last year. Approx. 57% of common assaults occurred within a public space setting and 43% within a residential premise. In 60% of public space crimes offenders were known to the victim and just over half of all private space crimes were domestic related. Common assaults on police and emergency workers have seen a notable reduction from 38 to 27 crimes year on year. The detection rate for crimes of violence overall has increased by 7% from 66.6% in 2024/25 to 73.6%. This equates to an additional 21 crimes detected in number terms. The detection rate for common assaults has also risen marginally from 62.5% to 65%.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Across the recording period the number of ASB related incidents in Argyll and Bute have seen a slight decrease of approx. 5.3% (-35) compared to last year. Group 6 crimes, which include ASB related offences have increased by 24.8% with 302 crimes recorded compared to 242 the previous year. This is largely attributable to a rise in breach the peace/threatening and abusive behaviour from 224 to 274 crimes (+50) year on year. ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR The increase in Stop Searches, above, is an expected correlation with the increase in Drug Possession charges on pg 8. Stop Search is an area of Policing that rightly gathers attention from community groups and the media, owing to the impact of it. However, the figures demonstrate that the work being undertaken by our officers is evidence led, with positive searches underpinning the possession charges. Such work is central to developing intelligence to undertake warrants against those that would supply drugs. Whilst there is no clear pattern that explains the rise in crimes within Group 6 (i.e. Threatening & Abusive Behaviour), factors that have contributed to the increase include, stronger enforcement of drinking in designated places (in contravention of local bye-laws) and an increase in crimes relating to threatening retail workers, with an increase observed in both LB and LD areas. It is notable that this crime type is focused in and around main population hubs where public houses are present. Further, threatening and Abusive Behaviour unfortunately goes hand in hand with abuse to and the resisting of the efforts of our officers. Consequently, it is no surprise that to find that ‘Resisting Arrest’ has seen a pronounced increase in LD area, with these offences nearly always correlating with verbal abuse to our officers. As explained on pg. 6, incidents can create anomalies in data owing to how they’re recorded. The increase in ‘Resisting Arrest’ offences will have contributed to this artificial spike in Threatening and Abusive Behaviour. Continuing preventative work is being undertaken to deal with ASB. On example of which can be found in Dunoon, the Rose Gardens, which had seen increased misbehaviour and calls. Following joint Police action with the Community Council, the area has had some minor landscaping and been tidied, leading to a decrease in calls to the locality. An example of where small changes can have a tangible impact.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL PUBLIC CONFIDENCE: COMPLAINTS & USER SATISFACTION Overall satisfaction with Police Scotland User Satisfaction results show that locally, public confidence levels remain high within Argyll and West Dunbartonshire with overall satisfaction levels at 82%, which is above the position as at the end of Qtr. 1 during the 2024/25 reporting period (68.1%). Notable work and outreach that is also worthy of mention, exemplifying the efforts of Argyll & Dunbartonshire Police to proactively seek engagement with community includes: Inveraray Road Safety Day on May 18th – where the Community Engagement Team, supported by the Road Policing Unit, National Motorcycle Unit, Safety Camera Partnership, Institute of Advanced Motorists Road Smart and SFRS, got together to help motorcyclists advance their skills and knowledge accompanied members of the public on various routes to teach advanced motorbike methodology. The resulting feedback was very positive. Girls’ Running Club, Dunoon Grammar – Police Scotland in partnership with Active Schools offered weekly running club for S1-S3 girls, providing resources and advice to progress their fitness goals, but to also build confidence, friendships and confidence. Drug Education – 2 drug education boxes have been purchased and are starting to be used in schools by our Youth Engagement Officers, to aid with preventative measures, diverting our children away from harmful substances. Through strict governance processes we continue to drive up standards of customer service, whilst incorporating a learning culture, to ensure that we share learning of mistakes made to prevent them happening again. This business as usual and drive on standards, is one of the factors that has contributed to this increase. In the pages before we have described numerous outreach processes in the community, as well as proactivity, ensuring that we’re ‘seen’ by the public to be serving them in the way they would expect. One such initiative has been seen recently in the area of Dunoon, Helensburgh & Rothesay, where the new Mobile Police Station has been touring population areas to ensure access opportunities, face to face, with their local Police. This initiative is being reviewed for rollout in more rural localities like Mid Argyll and Kintyre. Though technically outside of this reporting period, at the beginning of July, the reception to the way the Royal Visits and Tiree Music Festival were Policed help exemplify the statistics here, with Tiree Community Council advising, regarding the latter, “the tone of engagement was perfect.” 82% Satisfied/Very Satisfied Total of 152 responses