PARTS of Scotland have seen a sharp rise in offences such as housebreaking and car crime, figures show.
Chief Constable Sir Stephen House has warned that the overall crime figures for Scotland, which are at a 39-year low, are in danger of rising for the first time in decades because of an increase in sexual offences and what is known as acquisitive crime.
Police Scotland is to review how it tackles acquisitive crime, such as housebreaking, because of a "sharp increase" in certain parts of the country in recent months.
Speaking at a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority, Sir Stephen said there had been a sharp increase in break-ins, in particular to garden sheds, in "pockets" across Scotland, including Fife, Tayside and Edinburgh.
He said Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Mawson would investigate the reason for the increase and lead operations to counteract the increase.
Sir Stephen said: "It is high numbers in a very short period. It is a sharp increase and is unusual because it is so patchy. Across the west it is down, so why is it increasing in some specific areas? It is strange.
"Our view is that the increase in areas such as the former Lothian and Borders is down to break-ins.
"It is high numbers in a very short time. We want to understand more about what is going on with this and whether it is an acquisitive crime issue or a reporting issue.
"There is a danger we push overall crime figures up year on year while violent crime continues to go down. If we combine that with sexual offences then that could push this year's figures into an increase."
Figures also show Police Scotland has carried out 424,319 stop-and-searches this year since April and found one in five people were carrying something illegal, such as drugs or weapons.
Violent crime for the first nine months of the new national force has fallen 13.9%, but rape cases have increased 17% against the same time last year, while offences such as shoplifting and car thefts have risen 2.8%.
While the overall figure of 2.8% seems low, Sir Stephen says that in the west the figures have reduced but in areas of the east there have been "sharp" increases.
The clear-up rate for crimes of dishonesty is 35.9%.
Overall, housebreaking has fallen 2% and the clear-up rate is 20%.
The figures presented to the authority showed increases in offences that result from proactive policing, such as finding people in possession of drugs as a result of stop-searches. That has increased 8.2%, or 1390 more crimes than last year.
The authority meeting in Kilmarnock yesterday began with chairman Vic Emery and Sir Stephen paying tribute to those involved in the Clutha helicopter tragedy in Glasgow and a minute's silence in memory of those who died.
Sir Stephen said constables Tony Collins and Kirsty Nelis, who in the helicopter, were long serving, "experienced and mature" officers who were highly regarded by everyone they knew and worked with. He said they would be "much missed".
He also praised the pilot David Traill, who was also killed, and recognised the "magnificent" way in which the people of Glasgow dealt with the crash.
Sir Stephen said he had visited each of their families. The funerals will be held in the next three to four days and Police Scotland will be represented.
l At the meeting Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Mawson said the controversial review of police front counters had been extended and that changes to opening hours would not be instigated until next March.
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