Police Scotland Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 27 August 2025
Back to Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group — 27 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 Page 1 of 8 OFFICIAL Area Planning Group Report for Oban, Lorn, Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands August 2025 Local Policing Priority What does this mean for your area? How can you help? In tackling Serious & Organised Crime benchmarks are not straight forward. The nature of the crime type is such that we often see the symptom rather than the cause, i.e. an increase in acquisitive crime if heroin were to become a problem in an area, or an increase in Serious Assaults if rival criminal factions are in dispute. Our Criminal Investigation Department have dismantled 3 large Cannabis Cultivations connected with Organised Crime Groups. Two of these were located in Dunoon and one was located in Oban, with the enterprises linked. 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. Supporting this is an increased drive on taking drugs off our streets with Stop Searches, based on intelligence, driving an increase in ‘Possession of Controlled Substance’ charges by 12%. The nature of this crime, being found in possession of the item, means the detection rates for this crime type are at 100%. Your local police request your help in tackling Drug related crime by reporting any suspicions you may have either in person or anonymously via 101 or via crime stoppers online: Crimestoppers in Scotland | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org) 0800 555 111 We rely on communities to provide us with the information that helps us tackle organised crime. Your intelligence is essential in securing warrants. Please, if you see, hear or suspect something, link with us directly or use the above information to voice your concerns. As you can see, your inputs help us take action.
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OFFICIAL Page 2 of 8 OFFICIAL Acquisitive Crime encompasses all Theft type crimes, including Housebreaking and Frauds. Crimes such as shoplifting sprees or a series of sheds being broken into can quickly distort figures and risk when analysing this group. Detection rates for this grouping for the year to date in our area is 41%. This is not unusual when we consider that approximately half of this crime group relate to Frauds. Frauds continue to be extremely difficult to prosecute, with offenders using technological methods to obtain monies through deception and often being based outside of the traditonal jurisdictional framworks. In considering statistics it is important to note that other areas that make up the aquisitive crime grouping have have much higher detection rates, such as Shoplifting at 88% or non-dwelling housebreaking at 100%. There has been a rise in Common Thefts in the year to date by a third (another 11 crimes), but these relate to two known crime trends, theft of used cooking oil, and theft from remote building sites. In both trends offenders connected to this activity have been identified and arrested within the past two months. It is our hope that we will see these figures reduce to normal following these arrests. Your local police wants members of the APGs to help us by following us on our social media channels to help us spread crime prevention advice and guidance. Fraud Seminars can be provided by the Community Engagement team should you wish. Contact PS Alison who will pass your details on to the relevant team. Read tips on Argyll & Bute’s Trading Standards Website on practice to protect yourself from the activity of Rogue Traders.
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OFFICIAL Page 3 of 8 OFFICIAL There are many strands to understanding road safety, from the amount of crimes, to the amount of accidents and injuries that occur upon our network. Police Scotland are one of many partner agencies that contribute to trying to improve the safety of local infrastructure. It is noted that the volume of traffic on our roads is increasing markedly, with a 43.5% increase in Road Traffic Offences from the previous reporting quarter. 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. The primary growth area in offences relates to construction and use offences, i.e. bald tyres, lighting, MOT and Insurance. These are captured by proactive patrolling officers, both from our Response teams and our Road Policing Unit. Detection rate in this grouping currently sits at 85%, 4% higher than last year. 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 or road calming furniture. It is to be noted that the A85 and A83 are continually raised as requiring Average Speed cameras, or heightened You can help your local Police by reporting anyone who is suspected of drink or drug driving within your community either in person, via 101 or via crime stoppers online: Crimestoppers in Scotland | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org) 0800 555 111 We are finding a trend where we are receiving feedback from partners and Community Councils of problematic driving standards ‘after the offending is occurring’. It is really important that Police are called at the time of the offending so we can catch the behaviour taking place. This helps us provide key evidence to take action and prosecute offending. It is also noted that people wish to remain anonymous in reports. Whilst this is a way to report, this does make the role of prosecuting offenders harder for Police. Where communities stand together to say know to certain crime types, we can make a real difference.
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OFFICIAL Page 4 of 8 OFFICIAL 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. Violent Crime covers a range of offences from Stalking, Assaults, Domestic Abuse through to the worst offence of Murder. There has been a 40% increase in this crime area compared to the 5 year average. Whilst most crime types are remaining stable, i.e. robbery, serious assault, there has been a notable increase in Common Assaults (48 above the 5 year average) and Domestic Assaults (6 above). There is no clear pattern as to why this is occurring. However, when viewed against a larger data pattern, for the whole of Argyll & Bute, crimes of violence occurring within the area 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. Consequently, we can see that the results in our locality mirror a wider trend for the West of Scotland. Please help us tackle Violent Crime by reporting any ASB or community concerns either in person via 101 or via crime stoppers online: Crimestoppers in Scotland | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org) 0800 555 111 As APG members, if you have identified problem areas, ASB hotspots, or licencees that are not acting in a responsible way, please link with us to advise of the problem. We can set up bespoke patrols and use our powers under Licensing Laws to ensure responsible practice. The sooner we are informed about an issue the less chance there is that it grows into an enduring community issue.
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OFFICIAL Page 5 of 8 OFFICIAL The detection rate in grouping currently sits at 72% locally, 5% higher than last year. This area of public protection spans a number of traditional crime types, including Child Protection, to crimes under Sexual Offences legislation. There has been an increase in most of the crime types that fall within this bracket, which includes sexual offences, image offences and offences against children, with a 39% increase on the 5 year average. Again, statistics can be problematic, in that this can appear alarmingly high, but the number of crimes being dealt with is low, i.e. 6 crimes for Indecent Communication, rather than the traditional 3. Consequently, though a large percentage shift, the uplift in actual victims is minimal, with it often being the case that multiple crimes will relate to the same victim. Our detection rate locally is 55%. As per the discussion with Fraud, there are factors that contribute to this. Partners will be aware of the thresholds required to get a conviction in court and the fact that many offences, where sexual impropriety is alleged, often boil down to one person’s word against the other. This is recognised nationally as the intrinsic difficulty in investigating Public Protection crimes. As with Acquisitive Crime however, there are crime types with higher detection rates within the grouping, i.e. 83% for the offence of Communicating Indecently. Where there is Members of the APG can help us by reporting any concerns you may have regarding potential victims of Domestic Abuse or vulnerable persons, who may be being exploited or who may just need additional crime prevention support. Again, this can be reported through the channels previously discussed, but where serious safety concerns are present, better outcomes are achieved by in person reporting so we can properly understand the risks present.
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OFFICIAL Page 6 of 8 OFFICIAL greater availability of evidential trails, so we see an increase in detection rates. 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. Agricultural Crime This section has been added following feedback in the last Area Planning Group, re crime types specific to the farming community. I am pleased to advise that, since the last report, we have had no livestock attacks/worrying, nor farming targeted crimes, such as Quad Bike thefts. We have had 11 reports relating to cattle, either being outside their paddocks on roads or in dangerous circumstances, i.e. stuck in a bog. Members of the APG can help us in sharing the messages of responsible dog ownership and reporting those that do not control their dogs to the Dog Warden on 01546 605514 or using their online form: https://argyllandbute.custhelp.com/app/LAP_F orms/LAP_Dog_Control Literature is available for farmers from Police Scotland, should they wish, to place on gates and boundaries reminding of the laws and obligations for dog owners.
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OFFICIAL Page 7 of 8 OFFICIAL Other relevant news from your local policing teams Feedback – in investigating complaints and user/customer satisfaction, results show that public confidence levels remain high within Argyll and West Dunbartonshire with overall satisfaction levels of being satisfied or very satisfied at 82%. 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. 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. Events – Since the last Area Planning Group your local Police have been pleased to support the visit of the King to Campbeltown and the Princess Royal to Lochgilphead/Ardrishaig, as well as sending deployments to the islands to staff the Tiree Music Festival. All these key events went smoothly, being well attended and the activities of our staff being well received. We continue to try and strike the balance of policing with you, for you. In analysing the demand within our policing area it has been determined that a large number of calls stem from residents not knowing which agency they should contact, resulting in linking with the Police as the agency of last resort. The below links are to help channel enquiries to the correct agencies: Useful Links/Contacts: • Argyll and Bute Communtiy Directory - https://abcd.scot/ - this excellent site signposts you to all available services in your area, be it advocacy, counselling, debt advice or animal welfare; • Crimestoppers – Crimestoppers in Scotland | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org) 0800 555 111 • Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime – www.scottishparc.co.uk • Women’s Aid - Home - Women's Aid (womensaid.org.uk) • Citizens Advice – 0808 164 6000 & https://www.abcab.org.uk/ - Argyll and Bute Citizens Advice Bureau is a local, independent charity which provides free, impartial and confidential advice and information to give you the tools you need to sort out any issues or problems;
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OFFICIAL Page 8 of 8 OFFICIAL • Argyll and Bute Council Trading Standards – 01546 605 519 • Argyll and Bute Council – https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/my-council/how-contact-us • Transport Scotland – road related incidents and road closures - https://www.traffic.gov.scot/traffic-information/incidents • Scottish Water - https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/Help-and-Resources/Contact-Us 0800 0778 778 • NHS24 (including mental health support) – 111 or https://www.nhsinform.scot/ • Scam Share Bulletin Trading Standards Scotland Bulletin 6 June (mailchi.mp) • Age Scotland- Demetia Information and help- https://www.agescotland.org.uk/ • Neighbourhood Watch - sign up to to receive local alerts and bulletins for your community area - https://neighbourhoodwatchscotland.co.uk/#0 • Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) - https://www.sepa.org.uk/ - for pollution, environmental safety, flooding, waste disposal/carrying enquiries Follow us on Social Media and help share local appeals and education messages: • Facebook - Police Scotland Argyll and West Dunbartonshire • X (formerly Twitter) – PSOSArgyllBute and PSOS ArgWestDunb Report Completed by Insp Matthew Shaw on behalf of Area Commander Chief Insp Lee Page Email Address Matthew.shaw@scotland.police.uk