A TOP cop said the rise in thefts in the Cowdenbeath area is linked to the "cost of living crisis". 

Inspector Hazel Crielly told councillors about the increase in housebreakings and shoplifting over the past year, including "keyless" car thefts.  

In a report to the Cowdenbeath area committee she said: "During the reporting period there has been a slight increase in theft by housebreakings.

"Preventative work has been ongoing, with officers deployed in and around the areas affected and intelligence-led vehicle stop points.

"The way these thefts have been committed vary across the Fife Division with methods including 'keyless vehicle thefts' as well as homes being broken into, and the vehicle keys being stolen from within the address."

Insp Crielly said keyless vehicle theft is classified as a crime in which a car is stolen with an electronic 'compromise'.

Criminals use these electronic devices to enter the car and steal the car without an actual key, they clone the signal of the vehicle's keys, sometimes from within the property itself. 

She continued: "Theft by shoplifting shows a slight increase, which is trending nationally and likely linked, in part, to the cost of living crisis."

Work is underway to identify what premises are targeted regularly in the area so that focused crime prevention and security advice is provided.

By doing this, she explained, it allows retailers to report shoplifting directly which in turn reduces officer time and creates a more efficient identification process for the perpetrators.

Inspector Crielly also assured the committee that victims of these crimes are offered home security surveys and personal safety advice following the crimes.