McGrigor concerned as crime rises 13% in Orkney

Released – 26th October 2005

Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor has hit out at the Scottish Executive after new figures revealed huge increases in the number of crimes committed across the region last year.

The Tory MSP was responding to the release of the Recorded Crime in Scotland figures for 2004/05 which showed the number of crimes recorded in the Northern Police area had increased by 8% between 2003/04 and 2004/05, with crime up 13% in Orkney.

Jamie McGrigor said “The fact that 76% of cases recorded were cleared up is testament to the hard work of Orkney’s Northern Constabulary officers.

“However, with Fireraising and vandalism up 43% and the total number of crimes up nearly 13% from 509 cases in 2003 to 574 in 2004/05, these are worrying figures

“The Scottish Executive seems keen to lay the blame for these dramatic increases with their new method of recording cases but this just suggests that they are more interested in damage limitation than on dealing with crime in the Highlands and Islands.

“The Executive should concentrate on providing our local Police with the support they need to continue to do their dedicated work of trying to make communities across the Highlands and Islands safer”.