Shoplifters moved area to avoid city clampdown

IT was launched by police in an attempt to curb the increasing problem of shoplifting on a city high street.

But the high-profile campaign, which saw known offenders banned from certain stores, has not been the success police had hoped. Instead, there has been a 43 per cent hike in reported thefts as shoplifters switched to other areas.

Officers targeted high-risk parts of Perth city centre between April and June.

However, the number of reported incidents of thefts rose from 135 between april and June last year, to 194 during the same period this year.

Chief Inspector Ian Scott, area commander for Perth and Kinross, said thieves got wise to patrols around High Street and St Catherine’s retail park.

He added: ‘Theft by shoplifting has seen a large increase, mainly in Perth city centre.

‘We put responses in place to reduce that increase. However, it has been with limited success.

‘This tended to displace the offenders into other areas, so while it was taking the problem out of the High Street, it was putting it to Edinburgh Road, Crieff Road and Bridgend.’