Fall in crime figures in Badenoch and Strathspey due to Covid-19
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The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic appears to have led to a reduction in criminal offences in general in Badenoch and Strathspey this past year.
There have been falls in assaults, break-ins and the number of motorists detected speeding in the strath year-on-year, latest figures have revealed.
House break-ins fell to 11 including five homes in the period covering the start of April 2020 to the end of March, earlier this year.
A total of 23 had been recorded for the same period in 2019/2020.
The number of people detected for speeding fell from 462 for the same period in 2019/2020 to 329 – a drop of 133.
Those reported for breach of the peace, threatening and abusive behaviour crimes fell from 53 to 19 and common assault from 67 to 37 incidents.
People caught for using their mobile phones at the wheel dropped from nine to eight.
There was a fall in the number of people detected for drink or drug driving offences from 23 to 18.
The number of stop and searches conducted fell from 60 to 18 people
Inspector Vincent Tough, Police Scotland's area inspector for Badenoch, Strathspey and Nairn, said: "The Covid-19 lockdown in Badenoch and Strathspey’s communities brought out and continues to bring out the best in the majority of the population.
"Communities have provided support to vulnerable residents and have all collectively looked out for neighbours.
"However, it was and remains important to highlight that less scrupulous individuals’ may seek to exploit people’s vulnerabilities.
Police investigated 113 reports of missing persons in the South Highland Area Command during this past year.
There were two road deaths in the strath during the period - on the A9 by Balavil on June 24, last year, and on the A939 Dava Moor road on October 7, last year.
Members of Highland Council's Badenoch and Strathspey area committee will be updated on the latest police figures at their next meeting on Tuesday.
