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Publication - Statistics

Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2021-2022

Published
28 June 2022
Directorate
Justice Directorate, +1 more … Safer Communities Directorate
Part of
Law and order
ISBN
9781804356517

Statistics on crimes and offences recorded and cleared up by the police in Scotland in 2021-22, split by crime or offence group and by local authority.

This document is part of a collection

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Crimes of Dishonesty

Crimes Of Dishonesty has decreased by 32 percent between 2012-13 and 2021-22, but has increased by 4 percent between 2020-21 and 2021-22. Crimes Of Dishonesty in 2021-22 consisted of 36 percent Other theft, 25 percent Shoplifting, 18 percent Fraud, 9 percent Housebreaking, 5 percent Theft of a motor vehicle, 4 percent Other dishonesty, 2 percent Theft from a motor vehicle and 1 percent Theft by opening lockfast places.

The Crimes of dishonesty group has not been impacted by the new crime grouping structure, used for the first time in this year’s bulletin.

Crimes of dishonesty is the largest crime group, accounting for just under a third (32%) of all crime recorded in Scotland in 2021-22. Between 2020-21 and 2021-22, the number of Crimes of dishonesty recorded by the police in Scotland increased by 4%, from 89,731 to 92,873.

Chart 9 below shows the number of Crimes of dishonesty from 1971 onwards. Crimes of dishonesty increased for a long period since 1971 and peaked in 1991. After then, there has been a long-term decreasing trend, with a decrease of 78% between 1991 and 2021-22.

Chart 9: Crimes of dishonesty recorded by the police, 1971 to 1994, 1995-96 to 2021-22
Crimes of dishonesty have varied greatly between 1971 and 2021-22. They increased from 173,940 to 430,153 between 1971 and 1991 when it peaked and then decreased from 430,153 to 89,731 between 1991 and 2020-21 to its lowest recorded level then increased slightly to 92,873 between 2020-21 and 2021-22.

The national rate of recorded Crimes of dishonesty was 170 per 10,000 population in 2021-22, an increase from 164 per 10,000 population in 2020-21.

In 2021-22, of all Crimes of dishonesty:

  • Other theft accounted for 36%. This has consistently been the biggest category
  • Shoplifting accounted for 25%
  • Fraud accounted for 18%
  • Housebreaking accounted for 9%
  • Theft of and from a motor vehicle together accounted for 7%
  • Other dishonesty accounted for 4%
  • Theft by opening lockfast places accounted for 1%

All these categories except Fraud have seen large decreases in the number of crimes recorded over the past ten years. Fraud has seen an increase, up 86% since 2012-13.

Chart 10 shows the four largest categories within Crimes of dishonesty over the last ten years, and gives an indication of the trend and scale of each category.

Chart 10: Crimes of dishonesty recorded by the police, showing four largest categories, 2012-13 to2021-22
The various categories of crimes of dishonesty have all varied in different ways over the last ten years. Other theft has consistently shown the highest recorded level of crimes of dishonesty since 2012-13 though has considerably decreased from 58,704 in 2012-13, its highest recorded level in the last ten years, to 33,305 in 2021-22, though its lowest recorded level in the last ten years was 32,017 in 2020-21. Shoplifting has consistently shown the second highest recorded level of crimes of dishonesty since 2012-13. It decreased slightly from 26,449 to 22,913 between 2012-13 and 2021-22, however its highest recorded level in the last ten years was 33,523 in 2018-19 and its lowest recorded level in the last ten years was 20,557 in 2020-21. Housebreaking has considerably decreased from 21,515 in 2012-13 to 8,489 in 2021-22, its lowest recorded level in the last ten years. Its highest recorded level in the last ten years was 22,272 in 2013-14. Fraud has increased from 8,898 in 2012-13 to 16,536 in 2021-22, its highest recorded level in the last ten years. Its lowest recorded level in the last ten years was 6,913 in 2014-15. Most of the increasing occurred between 2018-19 and 2021-22.

The following sections discuss in more detail trends for each crime category comprised in the Crimes of dishonesty crime group. These are:

  • Crimes of dishonesty
    • Housebreaking
    • Theft by opening lockfast places
    • Theft from a Motor Vehicle
    • Theft of motor vehicle
    • Shoplifting
    • Other theft
    • Fraud
    • Other dishonesty

Housebreaking

Housebreaking accounted for 9% of Crimes of dishonesty. Over the ten year period from 2012-13 to 2021-22 this crime group has decreased by 61%, including a 13% decrease from 9,706 in 2020-21 to 8,489 in 2021-22.

Theft by opening lockfast places

Theft by opening a lockfast place accounted for 1% of Crimes of dishonesty. Over the ten year period from 2012-13 to 2021-22, this crime has seen a decrease of 63%. The number of crimes recorded in this category has remained broadly stable in the most recent year, with 1,207 in 2020-21 and 1,203 in 2021-22.

Theft from a Motor Vehicle

Theft from a motor vehicle accounted for 2% of Crimes of dishonesty. Over the ten year period from 2012-13 to 2021-22 this crime has seen a large decrease of 69%, including an 8% decrease from 2,108 crimes in 2020-21 to 1,936 in 2021-22.

Theft of motor vehicle

Theft of a motor vehicle accounted for 5% of Crimes of dishonesty. Over the ten year period from 2012-13 to 2021-22 this crime has seen a decrease of 21%. There was a 5% increase in the most recent year, from 4,311 crimes in 2020-21 to 4,512 in 2021-22.

Shoplifting

Shoplifting accounted for a quarter (25%) of Crimes of dishonesty. There was an increasing trend since 2014-15, which was interrupted by a decrease in 2019-20 and a further larger decrease in 2020-21. This was likely to be due to the Covid-19 pandemic related restrictions. There was an 11% increase in the most recent year, from 20,557 crimes in 2020-21 to 22,913 in 2021-22. This remains 32% lower than the high in 2018-19. Over the ten year period from 2012-13 to 2021-22 this crime has seen a decrease of 13%.

Other theft

Other theft consists of Theft of pedal cycles, Theft from a motor vehicle not elsewhere classified and Theft not elsewhere classified (excl. motor vehicles).

This category is the largest in Crimes of dishonesty, accounting for 36% of these crimes. Over the ten year period from 2012-13 to 2021-22, Other theft has seen a decrease of 43%. There was a 4% increase in the most recent year, from 32,017 crimes in 2020-21 to 33,305 in 2021-22.

Fraud

Crimes of Fraud accounted for 18% of Crimes of dishonesty. Fraud has seen an upward trend since 2014-15, increasing by 86% since 2012-13. There was a 10% increase in the most recent year, from 15,031 crimes in 2020-21 to 16,536 in 2021-22.

Much of the recent increase in Fraud has related to cyber-crimes which we estimate to now account for almost half of all Frauds (48%) and saw a dramatic rise during 2020-21. However, the increase in 2021-22 was due to a rise in non-cyber Fraud, which returned to pre-pandemic levels, whilst the estimated levels of cyber-related Fraud remained similar to 2020-21. Further information on this change is available in the Cyber-crime chapter.

Other dishonesty

Other dishonesty includes crimes of Reset, Corruption, Embezzlement and other crimes of forgery which are not classified elsewhere.

Other dishonesty accounted for 4% of Crimes of dishonesty. Over the ten year period from 2012-13 to 2021-22 this crime has seen a decrease of 24%, including a 17% decrease in the most recent year, from 4,794 crimes in 2020-21 to 3,979 in 2021-22.

Contact

Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot

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