McArthur responds to exponential rise in shoplifting

Responding to new figures which show shoplifting crimes recorded by the police have increased by 129% since 2021, while increasing by 15% compared to the previous year, Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said:

“This exponential increase is leaving shopkeepers extremely vulnerable. Too many don't feel equipped to challenge perpetrators and don't have the confidence that the police would attend if they were to report it.

“On the SNP’s watch, shoplifting is becoming a near-daily occurrence for many local businesses.

“Ministers should be pulling out all the stops to reverse this dire trend, and that starts by giving police officers the resources they need to do their jobs.”