They say a change is as good as arrest.

Buyers of 30 former police stations will get to put that to the test, adapting the buildings for new uses.

The Scottish Police authority is seeking too offload the former Police Scotland premises, which are surplus to requirements, with many having sat empty for years.

The SPA has been charged with managing the sale of the properties, with the first group of 21 going on the market this month.

They are being offloaded after a review exercise by Police Scotland identified more than 53 properties which are no longer needed by the force.

Among the first group to be offered for sale are former police stations at Anderston, in Glasgow, Blackburn, Uddingston and Invergordon in the Highlands.

The sale is being handled by commercial property specialists Shepherd Chartered Surveyors. The company said the the former stations were suitable for a range of uses, although thse would be subject to planning approval from the relevant local authority.

Sandy Rennie, a partner in the firm's Inverness office, told the BBC: "As part of the commission, Shepherd will review and inspect all the buildings, provide a market assessment, formalise a disposal strategy, provide planning advice, market the properties, negotiate any sale and provide general guidance and advice throughout the entire process."

The full list of the first 21 stations to be put up for sale:

North East Scotland: Cruden Bay, Portsoy, Kemnay

Tayside: Bridge of Earn, Muirhead, Letham

Highlands and Northern Isles: Invergordon, Brora, Bonar Bridge, Baltasound, Whalsay

Forth Valley: Bo'ness, Camelon, Bridge of Allan, Bannockburn

Lothians: Blackburn

Fife: Kincardine, Cardenden, Rosyth

Glasgow: Anderston

Lanarkshire: Uddingston