Offensive weapons offences across Fife have fallen

The number of offensive weapon offences has fallen in Fife – according to latest figures released by Police Scotland.

The Q4 Management Information for the period of 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 shows that the number of offensive weapons offences dropped by 86 from 472 to 386 – compared to the same period last year.

Figures also show the number of robberies and assault with intent to rob fell to 77 – down from 84.

The number of domestic abuse incidents has gone up slightly from 134 to 155 as a consequence of the increased proactive work by officers.

Chief Superintendent Derek McEwan, Divisional Commander for Fife, said:

“The data continues to reflect the impact the pandemic had, and continues to have, on crime rates across the country

“We have seen an increase in sexual crimes, however, this can be attributed to the increased confidence of victims to report offences to our officers and to those we work in partnership with.

“The reduction in offensive weapons offences is also pleasing. However, we acknowledge that there is no room for complacency and our officers will continue their hard work to apprehend anyone in possession of weapons.

“The continued rise in the number of frauds, particularly those committed online, including extortion, reflects the changing landscape of criminal activity. Online is becoming a bigger part of frontline policing and this serves to underline our commitment to keeping our communities safe in the digital space that we now live in.

“Officers across Fife work hard to keep our communities safe and I would encourage the public to continue to engage with us to give us meaningful insight to help inform and shape the local policing service we deliver.”

The 2021-22 Q4 Performance Report will be presented at the Scottish Police Authority Policing Performance Committee on Tuesday, 7 June 2022.