The first Day of Action in Aberdeen, organised by Retailers Against Crime (RAC) in partnership with Police Scotland, saw 35 crimes detected and 13 arrests made.
The operation, which took place on Tuesday 9 September, across Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, and Moray, was carried out by local officers and supported by colleagues from the Retail Crime Taskforce and partners at RAC.
In total, 13 people were arrested for shoplifting, thefts from tills, assaults and robberies committed against retail workers, possession of bladed weapons and warrant offences.
Other crimes recorded, included drugs, breaches of bail, and antisocial behaviour.
In total, 35 crimes were detected during the Day of Action and reports will now be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
Detective Chief Inspector Jackie Knight from the Retail Crime Task Force said: “This positive collaborative working with a number of retail partners and Retailers Against Crime is vital as we detect and deter these type of offences.“I’d like to thank the retailers and partners who attended briefings and the enforcement work and who we will continue to work with in the future.”
Detective Inspector Andy Machray, North East Division’s operational lead on acquisitive crime, said: “Tackling shoplifting and other forms of retail crime is a priority and local officers continue to work alongside the Retail Crime Taskforce colleagues to identify offenders and bring them to justice.”
Intelligence Co-ordinator at RAC CIC, Natasa Wilson, said: The feedback we received from the retailers was incredibly positive, with many sharing that the event was encouraging, reassuring and a reminder that they are not alone in tackling these challenges.
This is exactly why Days of Action are so valuable. They bring us all together, build confidence within the retailer sector and create a stronger united front against retail crime.”
