THREATENING and abusive behaviour in parts of Argyll and Bute has almost trebled in the past year, police have reported.
A document to go before community figures has revealed a 176 per cent increase in such incidents in Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands, and Oban Lorn and the Isles.
Officers have also reported that violent crime in the two administrative areas remains “reasonably stable” while assaults on emergency workers have reduced.
It is also reported that acquisitive crime has also seen a steady decrease, but fraud continues to be on the rise locally.
The details were given in a report to Argyll and Bute Council’s Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands community planning group on Wednesday, May 7.
It will also go before the Oban Lorn and the Isles community planning group on Wednesday, May 14.
A spokesperson for the force said: “Violent crime covers a range of offences from stalking, assaults, domestic abuse through to the worst offence of murder.
“Violent crime has remained reasonably stable, with only a five per cent increase on figures for the year to date. The increase is down to a slight increase in common assaults (three more than last year for the same period).
“We have seen a welcome decrease in emergency workers being attacked (this includes ambulance/hospital staff and police), dropping by 87 per cent for this year to date.
“However, threatening and abusive behaviour has seen an increase for the year to date, with incidents increasing 176 per cent.
“There is no real pattern as to why this increase has occurred, but the crime type is one that normally occurs in the evenings and after the people committing the offence have ingested some form of intoxicant.
“Again, there is no clear demographic that is our main offender with this crime type, with varying ages and genders partaking in the offence.”
The report added: “Generally, the start of the year has seen a decrease in most crime types related to acquisitive crime, i.e. shop theft down by 64 per cent.
“The exceptions to this involve fraud, with an increase of 45 per cent on the start of the year. These primarily relate to isolated incidents, normally involving buying and selling on Facebook Market Place.
“Where buying things online we recommend to make as many checks as you can and use methods of payment which are protected against fraud. Other areas of risk involve people investing in Cryptocurrency online.
“We have also seen two incidents of people entering buildings with intent to steal, but these have been derelict buildings, in areas that are not populated.
“The investigation into these incidents remains ongoing. They are believed to be unique in nature and are not recognised as part of a wider pattern.”
