Serious violent crime in Renfrewshire increased by more than 15 per cent during the first three months of the 2026/27 financial year.
Police Scotland recorded 53 crimes of serious violence between 1st April and 30th June 2026.
These included 30 serious assaults, 18 robberies and five attempted murders.
Overall violent crime increased by 1.3 per cent compared with the previous year, with 547 crimes recorded.
Most were common assaults, with 494 recorded during the three-month period. Police said minor violence remained static compared with the previous year.
Half of all recorded violent crimes took place in private dwellings, with violence in private spaces increasing by almost 10 per cent compared with the previous year.
The figures were discussed at Renfrewshire Council’s Police and Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Sub-Committee on Tuesday 18th August.
A councillor asked whether there was an underlying connection between violent crime and issues such as drugs or gangs.
Chief Superintendent Rhona Fraser said: “Violent crime is, by and large, attributable to the use of drugs and alcohol. I would say that it is quite rare for an open-space violent crime, or even one that is not directly attributable to one of our other crime categories, to have an undercurrent of drugs or alcohol in the background.
“That is accurate. We try our best to record where alcohol or drugs have been a factor in crime and criminality, but it is quite difficult to put a real hard figure on it. That is accurate.”
Weapons offences fell during the same period.
A total of 104 offensive or bladed weapon offences were recorded in Renfrewshire, a decrease of nearly 30 per cent on the previous year.
Sixty crimes involved weapons being used in other criminal activity, with the remaining offences relating to the carrying of weapons.
Chief Superintendent Fraser told the meeting: “We will continue to use stop search as a useful and legitimate policing tactic to remove weapons from the community again focussing on the areas requiring it most.”
Police said local problem-solving teams also continue to work with schools, with weapon carrying a key focus of their engagement with young people.
| Renfrewshire policing figures | April to June 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Crimes and offences | 4,338 | -0.6% |
| Overall violent crime | 547 | +1.3% |
| Common assaults | 494 | Stable |
| Serious violent crime | 53 | +15.2% |
| Sexual crimes | 167 | +63.7% |
| Crimes of dishonesty | 921 | -1.4% |
| Housebreaking | — | +23.5% |
| Domestic abuse incidents | 535 | +1.9% |
| Hate crimes | 69 | -9.2% |
| Offensive/bladed weapon offences | 104 | Nearly -30% |
| Road casualties | 34 | 22 fewer |
| Police incidents | 11,648 | -10% |
| Source: Police Scotland – Renfrewshire Performance Summary Report, 1st April to 30th June 2026. Figures are Police Scotland’s latest recorded figures and may be revised. | ||