Thieves target sheds and garages in bid to avoid longer jail terms

Angus criminals have moved from housebreaking to targeting sheds and garages due to the lower level of custodial sentences they can receive, it has emerged.

Crimes of housebreaking shot up by 60% over the year to March 2017, according to new figures from Police Scotland.

But Tayside’s top officer said housebreakers are actually targeting unoccupied sheds, barns and garages to avoid prison when they are caught.

Over the 12-month reporting period, the overall number of crimes of dishonesty reported in Angus fell by 3.7% but the total number of thefts by housebreaking increased from 140 crimes in 2016 to 224 crimes this financial year.

Addressing a meeting of Angus Council’s policy and resources committee, Tayside’s divisional commander assured councillors the county is a “safe place” to live.

“In general terms, housebreaking still sits below a nine-year average,” said Chief Superintendent Paul Anderson.

“To break into someone’s house is an absolute line in the sand to me. It’s something I find truly unacceptable.”

The number of houses broken into totalled 76, with the majority of the increase attributed to additional sheds, outbuildings and unoccupied premises being broken into.

“So what you see is a movement across crime types where they could be funding chaotic lifestyles, it could be money based,” added Chief Superintendent Anderson.

“It manifested during this period into lower level crime they’re less likely to get the jail for. Those individuals are being tracked across the crime type and have been identified.”

The report described police activity following a “locality model” introduced in January 2017.

“Working closely with residents, communities and partners is at the heart of our locality-based policing,” it stated.

“There are now locality inspectors with dedicated community sergeants and officers. Officers conduct regular proactive patrols and target offenders.