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A noticeable peak in theft of materials from construction sites over the festive period when sites were closed has been highlighted at an event in Inverness.
A campaign, featuring a Police Scotland liveried JCB 3CX, is visiting the Highland capital today in a bid to tackle plant and fuel theft across Scotland.
Traders and factory owners are suggested to report any suspicious activity, as criminals, highly organized gangs, spend weeks scouting a target.
Police Scotland’s Rural and Acquisitive Crime Unit has been working with the Scottish Plant Owners Association to tackle plant and fuel theft across Scotland as part of the campaign launched in May 2023.
Today, it is at Highland Industrial Supplies in the Longman Industrial Estate to provide free advice.
The biggest trend currently is fuel theft, the theft of trailers and the theft of tools from work vans which are often parked at the homes of tradespeople when the theft occurs.
There was also a noticeable peak in theft of materials from construction sites over the festive period when sites were closed.
There has already been a steady stream of artisans and factory owners at the one-day event in Inverness, learning about the steps they can take with their assets and getting information to sign up for Construction Watch, a free service that is part of Neighborhood Watch. .
It is estimated that more than a hundred people will have benefited from this flexible advice by the end of the day.
In Inverness and the rest of the Highlands, reporting of crime is generally good but Police Scotland is appealing to tradespeople and plant owners to also report suspicious activity by calling 101 or using Crimestoppers.
Individuals who sign up for Construction Watch will receive alerts, tips, and steps to take if an acquisitive crime has recently occurred.
Police are mapping crime in Scotland and may stumble upon trends, organised gangs moving from one region to another, which will trigger an alert to all registered users.
The Scottish Police also advises citizens to invest in proper security measures and the maximum price of assets that may be targeted by criminals.
It says CCTV, padlocks, security lighting and marking-up tools with DNA kits are among the measures which can deter criminals.