Estimated cyber crime has increased almost 120% in Scotland in the last four years, figures show.
Official statistics reveal an overall 4% rise in crime recorded by police, while it is estimated at least 6% of these were cyber crimes in 2023-24.
There were an estimated 16,910 cyber crimes committed in Scotland last year, which was up from 7,710 in 2019-20.
Overall crime incidents recorded by police rose from 289,362 in 2022-23 to 299,780 in 2023-24.
The report, published by the Scottish Government, stressed the total “remains below the position immediately prior to the pandemic” in 2019-20, and was down 51% from the peak in 1991 when 613,943 crimes were recorded.
Non-sexual crimes of violence increased by 4%, the data shows, to 71,463 last year.
The report said while cases of murder and culpable homicide account for “a very small proportion” of violent crimes, these rose 21% between 2022-23 and 2023-24 – from 48 to 58.
Sexual crimes decreased by 1%, falling from 14,602 to 14,484 – but the report noted this was still the “third highest level seen since 1971”.
There was a “small decrease of less than 1%” in cases of rape and attempted rape, falling from 2,529 in 2022-23 to 2,522 in 2023-24.
Overall, the report said “sexual crime has increased significantly since 2010-11, despite a small decrease in the latest year”.
However it was noted that reporting of historic cases of sexual crime “continues to play a role in the latest statistics”, with information from Police Scotland suggesting almost a quarter (24%) of sexual crimes reported in 2023-24 had taken place at least one year earlier.
Meanwhile, the report estimated the number of sexual crimes that were cyber crimes increased from 1,100 in 2013-14 to 4,320 in 2023-24.
Cyber crimes include all cases where “cyber technology is in any way involved”, ranging from the deliberate spreading of computer viruses to traditional crimes where the internet has played a part in the offence, such as online fraud or sexual crimes.
In 2023-24, an estimated 16,910 cyber crimes were recorded by police – an increase of around 2,000 crimes (or 14%) from the previous year.
According to the report, cyber crime levels “remain significantly above the pre-pandemic year of 2019-20” when there were an estimated 7,710 cyber crimes.
The report said: “Part of the increase seen in reported cyber crimes may be due to the significant impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and government instructions to limit social contact.
“However, the lifting of restrictions has not been accompanied by a reduction in the estimated volume of police-recorded cyber crime since 2022-23.”
It is now estimated 30% of sexual crimes and 9% of crimes of dishonesty are cyber crimes.
In 2023-24, an estimated 4,320 of the sexual crimes (30%) recorded by police were said to be cyber crimes, with this up from 3,830 in 2022-23.
The report added the “estimated volume of sexual crimes that were cyber crimes has gradually increased over the longer term from 1,100 in 2013-14”.
An estimated 2,080 cases of threats and extortion were cyber crimes – 14% higher than the 1,830 recorded in 2022-23 and six times more than the estimated 290 cases in 2019-20.
Here it was said that “most of these cases relate to ‘sextortion’, most commonly where the perpetrator threatens to reveal evidence of the victim’s online sexual activity unless they receive some form of monetary payment”.
The statistics also show in the year ending September 2022, police recorded 3,277 crimes against retail workers – including 15 cases of serious assault, 1,428 common assaults and 1,834 cases of threatening and abusive behaviour.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay said there was a “shocking rise in retail crime, which endangers staff, harms business and drives up prices for everyone”.
Overall, Mr Findlay said: “The sickening rise in violence on Scotland’s streets is a direct consequence of 17 years of SNP under-funding of policing and neglect of the wider justice system.
“Their weak justice agenda benefits criminals and betrays victims.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur meanwhile stated: “This worrying uptick in crime comes after many years of the SNP failing to invest in the justice system.
“The thin blue line of Scottish policing has been stretched to breaking point. The decision that some crimes won’t be investigated shows the extent to which community policing has been undermined.”
The Lib Dem added: “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own homes and communities, but for too many people that’s not the reality today.”
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said while there has been a “slight rise in recorded crime”, the figures show: “Scotland remains a safe place to live, with crime remaining at one of the lowest levels since 1974, below pre-pandemic levels, and 51% lower than its peak in 1991.
“The Scottish Government has provided record funding of £1.55 billion for policing in 2024-25 – an increase of £92.7 million, which means Police Scotland can increase police officer numbers to around 16,500-16,600.
“In addition, we have made more than £4 million available over this year and last year for violence prevention to help divert people away from violence, with a further £19 million per year to 2025 on supporting projects that tackle violence against women and girls.”
She accepted retail crime “can cause significant disruption to businesses”, as she stressed Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority “are working to ensure the necessary resources and expertise are in place to tackle emerging areas of crime”.
She also said the Scottish Government works closely with Police Scotland, the National Cyber Security Centre, the Cyber and Fraud Centre and others “to tackle cyber crime, including sextortion crimes, and to raise awareness of cyber security and how individuals and organisations can reduce their risk of becoming victims”.