Cash and booze stolen with another break-in at Inverness store

There is an appeal for information following a break-in at the Co-Op on Telford Street in Inverness.

The incident, between 3.45am and 4am, happened on Tuesday with quantities of alcohol and cash stolen.

The two suspects are described as male, both approximately 6ft and average build.

They were wearing dark face coverings, dark clothing and footwear, while one carried a black Adidas Holdall and the other a blue bag for life.

Just last month, across the Co-Op stores, the business reported that crime rose sharply over the last six months, with 950 offences taking place every day.

The cost of theft and fraud in their food business rose to £39.5m in the first half of 2024 alone. Compared to the same time a year earlier, it cost 19% more, up from £33.3m.

Across the half-year period, over 172,000 incidents took place, which represents 4% more than in 2023.

In 2023 as the cost of living crisis hit, shoplifting reached a record high with 16.7 million incidents recorded - more than double 2022, costing retailers about £1.8bn - a record sum - according to an annual survey by industry group the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

There was also a rise in violence and abuse against shop workers which spiked to about 1,300 incidents daily in 2023, a rise of 50% from 870 the year before.

Co-Op Telford Street has see a number of break-ins in recent years, with this latest incident seeing an appeal by detectives for information.

Constable Gary Hines said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this break-in, or who potentially has CCTV of dashcam footage of the suspects, to get in touch"

Anyone with any information on the Inverness incident is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 0387 of 22 October or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.