CAR crimes and motoring offences have increased across Glasgow while cases of domestic abuse and child cruelty have risen in the north and East End of the city.

Figures obtained by the Glasgow Times show the impact that Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown has had on crime rates in ‘G division’, which also takes in parts of East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire.

The most recent breakdown available from Police Scotland using Freedom of Information laws, covers March, when the virus started to take hold and social distancing measures were introduced - on the 23 of the month.

The figures suggest that even the first ten days of lockdown has had an impact on crime rates and the types of offences committed, compared with the same month last year.

The data shows that fraud has increased across Greater Glasgow, serious assaults have dropped and the number of reported sex crimes has tripled in East Renfrewshire.

City Centre
Serious assaults dropped significantly in Glasgow’s City Centre with 15 reported in March this year compared with 25 last year and sex crimes almost halved.

However there were more house break-ins investigated with five reported compared with 2 last year.

There were also 33 reports of emergency workers being attacked although this is one less than in 2019.

Other crimes which have risen in the month of lockdown include the possession of drugs, which has gone from 77 reports to 98, driving without a licence (7 reports up from 5) and consuming alcohol in a public place from 31 reports in March 2019 to 68 this year and bail offences  increased.

Racial harassment complaints quadrupled from one report last year to four and reports of dangerous driving also rose. Other motoring offences also increased from 19 to 28. 

Crimes which have reduced significantly included vandalism, from 62 reports to 27.

Shoplifting was the highest recorded crime with 103 reported incidents, followed by possession of drugs and assault, with 94 crimes reported.

READ MORE: Police respond after pictures emerge of 'social distancing swally' in Lanarkshire 

North West 
There were four attempted murders investigated in March in the North West of Glasgow which takes in Maryhill and Drumchapel as well as areas including Anniesland and Jordanhill, compared with one in March last year.

However serious assaults dropped, from 16 to 10.

Other crimes which have risen include domestic abuse and child cruelty, which has seen six reports investigated compared with none in March last year.

The number of break-ins (not houses) also rose to 17, compared with 12 last year and vehicle thefts have also more than doubled.

The figures also again, suggest that fraud has increased in lockdown going from 28 reports to 44. The number of people drinking in public increased from one report in March 2019 to 16 this year.

Assaults made up the highest number of recorded crimes with 131 reports investigated.

Glasgow East
There was one attempted murder investigated in the East End which takes in Parkhead, Denniston and Tollcross, compared with four in March 2019 while serious assaults also dropped from 21 to 13.

However, there were two reports made about domestic abuse, compared to none in March 2019 and child cruelty inquiries have also increased.

Car break-ins have also risen sharply, from 12 reported incidents in March last year to 26 this year.

House break-ins have also increased in the East End of the city during lockdown from 14 last year to 20.

Other crimes which have increased in lockdown included fraud (42 up from 31) speeding and other motoring offences.

Crimes which have seen a decrease include sex crimes which have gone from 72 reports to 42 and the supply of drugs which has almost halved. The highest recorded crime was common assault, following threatening behaviour and vandalism.

READ MORE: Police Scotland say recorded crime has dropped by a quarter during lockdown 

South West 
In the South West of Glasgow which takes in Govan, Pollok, Ibrox and Crookston the number of domestic abuse reports rose from none to three while car break-ins and vehicle thefts have risen from 25 to 47.

Fraud has also risen from 25 reports to 29 while the number of reports of people carrying offensive weapons rose from one report to five this year.

Other crimes which have increased include reports of ‘threatening and abusive behaviour’ from 92 to 127 and driving without a licence, 23 cases compared to 8 last year.

Vandalism made up the highest number of reports with 128 recorded crimes.

South East 
In Glasgow’s South East which takes in Govanhill, Castlemilk, Cardonald, Priesthill and Mosspark, the number of domestic abuse reports tripled in March, going from no reports last year to three in 2020.

Vehicle thefts and shoplifting also increased as well as knife carrying offences. House break-ins dropped - from 42 to 31 but general break-ins of other buildings increased from 10 to 13.

There were no attempted murder investigations and drug supply and possession also dropped.

However bail offences rose sharply from 6 reports to 19 and there was a rise in the number of emergency workers assaulted, from 13 to 15.

The highest recorded crime was for ‘Abusive and threatening behaviour.’

East Renfrewshire
In East Renfrewshire which takes in Clarkston, Giffnock and Newton Mearns the number of sexual crimes has tripled from 5 reports in March 2019 to 16 this year.

Motoring offences have also risen from 12 to 24 reports and additionally there were four reports of dangerous driving in March, compared with none last year.

The number of break-ins (not homes) has also risen sharply from eight to 15 while fraud, fire-raising and common assault also rose. 

The highest recorded crimes were assault, theft and vandalism.

East Dunbartonshire 
The number of vehicles stolen in East Dunbartonshire, which takes in Bishopbriggs, Lenzie and Milngavie, doubled in March this year with ten reports investigated by police and thefts from vehicles also increased.

There was also in increase in crimes where a knife was used and assaults increased slightly from 41 to 46.

Assaults on emergency workers also increased, from two reports last year to five this year as well as incidents of vandalism and driving while banned.

However drug possession dropped significantly from 40 reports last year to 23 this year.

The highest recorded crimes were assaults and vandalism.

Dr Nick McKerrell, senior law lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University said the data had thrown up some interesting trends.

Glasgow Times: Dr Mick McKerrell Dr Mick McKerrell

He said: "Although these figures cover the unprecedented shift to lockdown and the general change to human activity this represents some trends can be observed.  

“Worryingly we see a growth in more “hidden” offences of abuse in the household even in the early days of lockdown.  

"As these incidents are only reported in a small proportion of cases this could be the tip of an ice berg particularly as the lockdown goes on.

“The middle of March also saw the growth of panic buying this may have caused the spike in shop lifting as the opportunity to get away with It in busier shops may have presented itself. 

"This spike is likely to fall dramatically in the next few months.

“Outdoor activities will have been more closely monitored particularly in the last two weeks of March so discovering more people drinking alcohol  in public places is less surprising than it would seem.  

"This is also likely to be another phenomenon as our current situation develops  in next few weeks particularly with pubs closed for the foreseeable future."