MSP Jackie Baillie has blasted the SNP Government’s plans for justice reform, in the face of rising crime figures.
Jackie hit out at Justice Secretary Neil Gray’s approach, after he announced a review of short term prison sentences in the Scottish Parliament last week.
It came as new data revealed that shoplifting cases in West Dunbartonshire have rocketed by 57 per cent in the past decade.
Dumbarton MSP Jackie has been working with representatives of Dumbarton’s retail sector, who report being plagued by serial shoplifters.
Store staff have been left to battle theft, threats and intimidation, as retail crime rockets.
And the frustrated retail workers believe that existing sentences are not an effective deterrent.
Figures published last week revealed that the number of shoplifting crimes recorded by Police Scotland jumped by 19 per cent in 2025/26 – and by 86 per cent in the past decade.
In West Dunbartonshire, shoplifting spiralled, from 573 cases in 2016/17 to 901 in 2025/26.
National data also shows a sharp increase in the number of assaults on retail workers – up by 10 per cent in a year.
Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Neil Gray, announced a consultation on sentencing reforms, which could see fewer criminals jailed and hundreds more prisoners liberated early.
As part of the package, he wants to see greater use of community disposals and will encourage judges not to issue prison sentences of less than two years – up from the current 12 months.
All inmates serving a five-year term could also be designated as ‘short-term’ prisoners under the plans – which will see them released after serving just 30 per cent of their sentences.
Currently, prisoners serving four years or less are considered short term.
Jackie said: “It is clear that our communities are being heavily impacted by rising crime rates.
“Retail crime is running riot and that has been confirmed by retail staff in my own constituency, who are facing constant threats, harassment and intimidation from thieves as they go about their work.
“Police Scotland’s pool of frontline officers has been stripped to the bone by the Scottish Government, leaving communities exposed.
“These latest proposals for changes to the justice system will do nothing to dispel those fears or tackle the experiences of the retail workers.
“This is a real and growing crisis and the SNP must realise that action is needed to protect our retail workers and communities to tackle shoplifting.
“It is crucial that we now see a real plan to strengthen policing, support businesses and communities and improve community safety.
“The SNP’s softly, softly approach to justice will not deliver that.”
Jackie has been working with retailers in Dumbarton, as well as Police Scotland in a bid to tackling rising theft and threats to shopworkers and has written to the Scottish Government to highlight the issue.
