A COMMUNITY council has been told how Dumbarton town centre has been hit with a spree of shoplifters in the past month.

Dumbarton East and Central Community Council were “stunned” last Tuesday week when a Police Scotland report showed that shops and businesses in and around High Street had been hit by 15 separate thefts in the space of 25 days.

Constable Gemma Sloan, told the community council members: “It has become a big issue and Boots in particular has been targeted. We have been going around the shops in the town centre advising and warning owers to be more vigilant and on the lookout for shoplifters.

“Cosmetics has been a particular favourite for shoplifters. Of the ones caught youths have found to be mainly responsible.”

As well as the 15 shoplifting offences the figures presented in the report to the community council, who met at St Augustine’s Church Hall, showed three common assaults, one offence of possession of a knife, seven unclassified thefts, 10 cases of possession of drugs, seven of breach of the peace, five acts of vandalism, one of fraud, one of drinking in public, one sexual assault, two common assaults, one for a breach of licensing laws, and one road traffic offence.

Communities officer, PC Sloan added: “The sexual assault is alleged to have happened in a public house and is still being investigated at this time.”

Community council secretary, Dorothy Heron, branded the figures much higher than expected and was “stunned” by the increase in shoplifting in the area.

She said: “This is something which must be stamped out, and I am delighted the police have taken swift action, warning shop owners as well as making several arrests. We will monitor the situation in future months and hope to see these figures decrease.”

The police report highlighted crime in the town centre from April 13 to May 8, 2018, and are all within the community council’s designated area.

Constable Sloan urged the community to continue to use Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to leave anonymous information about incidents and crimes, added: “I would urge the community to continue to use Crimestoppers if wishing to leave anonymous information regarding incidents which are happening within the community.”

Telephone 0800 555 111. It is operated 24 hours a day.