The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Police worried by surge in robberies
REPORT: Pressure on force’s resources from violent crime
A rapid rise in robberies in Dundee is putting “significant” pressure on police resources, according to a new crime report.
Twenty-seven robberies were committed in the last three months of 2019 alone, while a similar number was recorded in the previous quarter.
Recent crimes include OAPS allegedly being assaulted and robbed, while a number of newsagents across the city have been targeted.
In one of the most high-profile incidents, city centre store Walker the Jeweller was allegedly raided by a group of masked men armed with a hammer, axe and mallet in September last year.
In the police’s quarterly report to the council, the divisional commander for Tayside, Chief Superintendent Andrew Todd, said investigations are taking much longer due to the rise.
Callum Tiple, from criminal justice consultants Crest Advisory, said the trend is being mirrored across the UK and warned the crimes are often a “gateway” to violent crimes.
A specific online sexual crime team set up by Tayside’s police has pledged to target vigilante groups who target paedophiles.
Local police officers seconded to the team will follow up videos and information provided by the online child abuse activist groups (OCAGS), according to a new report.
The groups are best known for posing as children online and accosting alleged abusers, often live streaming videos of the confrontation.
However, Tayside divisional commander, Chief Superintendent Andrew Todd, has discouraged the activity, encouraging people to report suspected abuse through official channels instead of taking matters into their own hands.
“We are all concerned about the safety of children online but the police are best placed to protect children, gather evidence and detect crime,” he said.
“Police Scotland will always respond to information from members of the
“Members of the public do not have the training, knowledge or mechanisms with partners to protect children and capture evidence to the standard required. CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT ANDREW TODD
public that a child or young person may be at risk of harm. Members of the public do not have the training, knowledge or mechanisms with partners to protect children and capture evidence to the standard required.
“If you suspect someone may be abusing children online or offline, then please contact the police on 999 if you think there is immediate risk of harm, or 101.”
His comments come ahead of a report to be presented to Dundee City Council’s community safety and public protection committee on Monday.
Mr Todd said: “The policing division has created an online sexual crime team who provide expertise and deal with intelligence packages received about subjects who access indecent images of children along with responding to OCAGS, who have targeted subjects in Tayside and live streamed visits online.
“Officers are seconded to this team from local policing areas.”
The report did not include figures, but said there has been an increase in online sexual crimes internationally, nationally and in Tayside.
A number of paedophile hunting groups have carried out “stings” in Tayside and Fife.
A group of four are awaiting sentencing for breach of the peace charges after they arrived on a Forfar street masked and hooded, waving banners and shouting, swearing and making offensive remarks while broadcasting their behaviour live on social media.