Publication - Statistics
Recorded Crime in Scotland: August 2021
Official Statistics on crimes and offences recorded by the police in Scotland for August 2021.
Part of
Tables
Table 1: Crimes recorded by the police, Scotland, August 2019, 2020 and 2021
Table 2: Offences recorded by the police, Scotland, August 2019, 2020 and 2021
Table 3: Crimes recorded by the police by local authority, Scotland, August 2019, 2020 and 2021
Table 4: Crimes recorded by the police, Scotland, April to August 2019, 2020 and 2021
Table 5: Offences recorded by the police, Scotland, April to August 2019, 2020 and 2021
Notes for these tables
- The symbol 'n/r' is used to denote where a percentage change figure is not reported. This is done if the denominator is less than ten as any resulting figure may be misleading.
- Please note that tables 1, 2, 4 and 5 can be accessed at local authority level online via the following link: Recorded Crime in Scotland: August 2021
| Crime group | August 2019 | August 2020 | August 2021 | % change since August 2020 | % change since August 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total crimes1 | 20,730 | 19,921 | 19,071 | -4% | -8% |
| Non-sexual crimes of violence | 775 | 828 | 791 | -4% | 2% |
| Homicide etc. | 8 | 10 | 5 | -50% | n/r |
| Attempted murder & serious assault | 340 | 396 | 319 | -19% | -6% |
| Robbery | 158 | 138 | 119 | -14% | -25% |
| Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 | 144 | 122 | 134 | 10% | -7% |
| Other violence | 125 | 162 | 214 | 32% | 71% |
| Sexual crimes | 1,128 | 1,091 | 1,130 | 4% | 0% |
| Rape & attempted rape | 216 | 164 | 189 | 15% | -13% |
| Sexual assault | 439 | 356 | 411 | 15% | -6% |
| Crimes associated with prostitution | 3 | 4 | 8 | n/r | n/r |
| Other sexual crimes | 470 | 567 | 522 | -8% | 11% |
| Crimes of dishonesty | 9,159 | 8,118 | 8,177 | 1% | -11% |
| Housebreaking | 1,030 | 881 | 748 | -15% | -27% |
| Theft by opening a lockfast place (OLP) | 142 | 112 | 109 | -3% | -23% |
| Theft from a motor vehicle by OLP | 226 | 162 | 143 | -12% | -37% |
| Theft of a motor vehicle | 382 | 355 | 380 | 7% | -1% |
| Shoplifting | 2,570 | 1,852 | 1,967 | 6% | -23% |
| Other theft | 3,614 | 3,036 | 3,133 | 3% | -13% |
| Fraud | 866 | 1,354 | 1,404 | 4% | 62% |
| Other dishonesty | 329 | 366 | 293 | -20% | -11% |
| Fire-raising, vandalism etc. | 3,963 | 3,948 | 3,786 | -4% | -4% |
| Fire-raising | 191 | 196 | 224 | 14% | 17% |
| Vandalism etc. | 3,772 | 3,752 | 3,562 | -5% | -6% |
| Other crimes | 5,705 | 5,936 | 5,187 | -13% | -9% |
| Crimes against public justice | 1,727 | 2,210 | 1,919 | -13% | 11% |
| Handling offensive weapons | 774 | 953 | 944 | -1% | 22% |
| Not used in other criminal activity | 322 | 411 | 423 | 3% | 31% |
| Used in other criminal activity | 452 | 542 | 521 | -4% | 15% |
| Drugs | 3,187 | 2,766 | 2,305 | -17% | -28% |
| Other | 17 | 7 | 19 | n/r | 12% |
1. The total figure for recorded crime excludes the new crimes being recorded under the recently enacted coronavirus legislation. Please see the Crimes recorded under coronavirus legislation section for more information.
| Crime group | August 2019 | August 2020 | August 2021 | % change since August 2020 | % change since August 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total offences | 21,725 | 21,847 | 20,314 | -7% | -6% |
| Miscellaneous offences | 11,407 | 12,375 | 11,160 | -10% | -2% |
| Common assault | 5,028 | 5,241 | 5,020 | -4% | 0% |
| Breach of the peace etc. | 4,555 | 4,991 | 4,298 | -14% | -6% |
| Drunkenness and other disorderly conduct | 525 | 601 | 511 | -15% | -3% |
| Urinating etc. | 177 | 125 | 137 | 10% | -23% |
| Other miscellaneous offences | 1,122 | 1,417 | 1,194 | -16% | 6% |
| Motor vehicle offences | 10,318 | 9,472 | 9,154 | -3% | -11% |
| Dangerous and careless driving | 957 | 1,072 | 1,141 | 6% | 19% |
| Driving under the influence | 512 | 770 | 676 | -12% | 32% |
| Speeding | 2,688 | 1,783 | 1,698 | -5% | -37% |
| Unlawful use of vehicle | 3,103 | 2,904 | 2,781 | -4% | -10% |
| Vehicle defect offences | 559 | 646 | 523 | -19% | -6% |
| Seat belt offences | 265 | 261 | 172 | -34% | -35% |
| Mobile phone offences | 195 | 169 | 144 | -15% | -26% |
| Other motor vehicle offences | 2,039 | 1,867 | 2,019 | 8% | -1% |
| Local authority | August 2019 | August 2020 | August 2021 | % change since August 2020 | % change since August 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen City | 906 | 979 | 1,078 | 10% | 19% |
| Aberdeenshire | 591 | 534 | 542 | 1% | -8% |
| Angus | 358 | 324 | 366 | 13% | 2% |
| Argyll & Bute | 235 | 245 | 239 | -2% | 2% |
| Clackmannanshire | 243 | 220 | 209 | -5% | -14% |
| Dumfries & Galloway | 559 | 491 | 556 | 13% | -1% |
| Dundee City | 889 | 872 | 817 | -6% | -8% |
| East Ayrshire | 458 | 456 | 420 | -8% | -8% |
| East Dunbartonshire | 207 | 224 | 192 | -14% | -7% |
| East Lothian | 311 | 318 | 332 | 4% | 7% |
| East Renfrewshire | 176 | 174 | 165 | -5% | -6% |
| Edinburgh City | 2,871 | 1,908 | 1,856 | -3% | -35% |
| Falkirk | 612 | 551 | 471 | -15% | -23% |
| Fife | 1,052 | 1,241 | 1,257 | 1% | 19% |
| Glasgow City | 3,415 | 3,498 | 3,112 | -11% | -9% |
| Highland | 616 | 563 | 584 | 4% | -5% |
| Inverclyde | 331 | 265 | 321 | 21% | -3% |
| Midlothian | 362 | 312 | 314 | 1% | -13% |
| Moray | 195 | 233 | 229 | -2% | 17% |
| Na h-Eileanan Siar | 34 | 24 | 31 | 29% | -9% |
| North Ayrshire | 555 | 588 | 516 | -12% | -7% |
| North Lanarkshire | 1,432 | 1,502 | 1,379 | -8% | -4% |
| Orkney Islands | 35 | 41 | 39 | -5% | 11% |
| Perth & Kinross | 403 | 429 | 426 | -1% | 6% |
| Renfrewshire | 618 | 667 | 612 | -8% | -1% |
| Scottish Borders | 304 | 303 | 359 | 18% | 18% |
| Shetland Islands | 39 | 24 | 36 | 50% | -8% |
| South Ayrshire | 372 | 444 | 371 | -16% | 0% |
| South Lanarkshire | 1,277 | 1,278 | 1,022 | -20% | -20% |
| Stirling | 338 | 286 | 264 | -8% | -22% |
| West Dunbartonshire | 404 | 400 | 329 | -18% | -19% |
| West Lothian | 532 | 527 | 627 | 19% | 18% |
| Scotland1 | 20,730 | 19,921 | 19,071 | -4% | -8% |
1. The total figure for recorded crime excludes the new crimes being recorded under the recently enacted coronavirus legislation. Please see the Crimes recorded under coronavirus legislation section for more information.
| Crime group | April to August 2019 | April to August 2020 | April to August 2021 | % Change since 2020 | % Change since 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total crimes1 | 106,369 | 98,520 | 95,832 | -3% | -10% |
| Non-sexual crimes of violence | 3,947 | 3,757 | 3,976 | 6% | 1% |
| Homicide etc. | 59 | 39 | 39 | 0% | -34% |
| Attempted murder & serious assault | 1,876 | 1,577 | 1,596 | 1% | -15% |
| Robbery | 680 | 730 | 672 | -8% | -1% |
| Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 | 709 | 640 | 654 | 2% | -8% |
| Other violence | 623 | 771 | 1,015 | 32% | 63% |
| Sexual crimes | 5,703 | 5,201 | 5,898 | 13% | 3% |
| Rape & attempted rape | 1,013 | 900 | 1,028 | 14% | 1% |
| Sexual assault | 2,178 | 1,579 | 2,027 | 28% | -7% |
| Crimes associated with prostitution | 26 | 16 | 32 | 100% | 23% |
| Other sexual crimes | 2,486 | 2,706 | 2,811 | 4% | 13% |
| Crimes of dishonesty | 47,789 | 40,081 | 39,119 | -2% | -18% |
| Housebreaking | 5,333 | 4,471 | 3,484 | -22% | -35% |
| Theft by opening a lockfast place (OLP) | 744 | 500 | 528 | 6% | -29% |
| Theft from a motor vehicle by OLP | 1,209 | 1,001 | 794 | -21% | -34% |
| Theft of a motor vehicle | 2,065 | 1,866 | 1,873 | 0% | -9% |
| Shoplifting | 13,829 | 8,487 | 9,131 | 8% | -34% |
| Other theft | 18,225 | 14,612 | 14,205 | -3% | -22% |
| Fraud | 4,365 | 6,960 | 7,360 | 6% | 69% |
| Other dishonesty | 2,019 | 2,184 | 1,744 | -20% | -14% |
| Fire-raising, vandalism etc. | 20,433 | 17,704 | 18,790 | 6% | -8% |
| Fire-raising | 1,183 | 1,096 | 1,213 | 11% | 3% |
| Vandalism etc. | 19,250 | 16,608 | 17,577 | 6% | -9% |
| Other crimes | 28,497 | 31,777 | 28,049 | -12% | -2% |
| Crimes against public justice | 8,240 | 11,076 | 10,142 | -8% | 23% |
| Handling offensive weapons | 4,226 | 4,648 | 4,573 | -2% | 8% |
| Not used in other criminal activity | 1,912 | 2,153 | 2,024 | -6% | 6% |
| Used in other criminal activity | 2,314 | 2,495 | 2,549 | 2% | 10% |
| Drugs | 15,942 | 15,992 | 13,262 | -17% | -17% |
| Other | 89 | 61 | 72 | 18% | -19% |
1. The total figure for recorded crime excludes the new crimes being recorded under the recently enacted coronavirus legislation. Please see the Crimes recorded under coronavirus legislation section for more information.
| Crime group | April to August 2019 | April to August 2020 | April to August 2021 | % Change since 2020 | % Change since 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total offences | 109,779 | 101,864 | 102,896 | 1% | -6% |
| Miscellaneous offences | 56,917 | 56,765 | 55,389 | -2% | -3% |
| Common assault | 24,887 | 22,622 | 24,061 | 6% | -3% |
| Breach of the peace etc. | 22,494 | 23,306 | 21,750 | -7% | -3% |
| Drunkenness and other disorderly conduct | 2,909 | 3,259 | 2,676 | -18% | -8% |
| Urinating etc. | 1,033 | 499 | 510 | 2% | -51% |
| Other miscellaneous offences | 5,594 | 7,079 | 6,392 | -10% | 14% |
| Motor vehicle offences | 52,862 | 45,099 | 47,507 | 5% | -10% |
| Dangerous and careless driving | 4,868 | 4,844 | 5,464 | 13% | 12% |
| Driving under the influence | 2,588 | 3,739 | 3,383 | -10% | 31% |
| Speeding | 13,769 | 8,711 | 10,201 | 17% | -26% |
| Unlawful use of vehicle | 16,092 | 15,725 | 15,300 | -3% | -5% |
| Vehicle defect offences | 3,044 | 2,706 | 2,493 | -8% | -18% |
| Seat belt offences | 1,540 | 925 | 862 | -7% | -44% |
| Mobile phone offences | 1,184 | 816 | 666 | -18% | -44% |
| Other motor vehicle offences | 9,777 | 7,633 | 9,138 | 20% | -7% |
Contact
Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot