Revealed: the offences driving 14% ‘stark’ rise in  crime across Fife

Between April 2025 and December 2025, there were 3,138 more offences committed in the Kingdom compared to the same period the previous year.

The statistics were described at Fife Council’s People and Communities Scrutiny Committee as “stark” - but Fife’s police chief confirmed a large part of the rise had been in road traffic offences.

Chief Superintendent John Anderson, who is temporary divisional commander for the area, told councillors that there were 5260 fewer calls made to Police Scotland from the region compared to the previous year.

“There was a 14 per cent increase in recorded crime overall,” he conceded. “An important context here to provide is that in terms of recorded crime, 28.5 per cent of that total figure are in the road traffic offence category.

“The numbers of traffic offences are at their highest level in six years and, as of March 2, explain 44 per cent of the total recorded crime rise across the division.

“Road safety is one of the key local priorities. I welcome that recorded increase and focus on productivity this year.”

Across Fife, common assault was up by 11.6 per cent (313 more incidents), violent crime rose by 13.8 per cent, domestic abuse crime increased by 11.6 per cent and sexual crimes were up by 17.5 per cent.

There was a 5.6 per cent rise in crimes of dishonesty, antis-ocial offences were up by 14 per cent, housebreaking crimes rose by 11.8 per cent while detection for drug supply decreased by 7.4 per cent and the number of road traffic casualties went down by 32.3 per cent.

Speaking on the rise in violent crime, Chief Superintendent Anderson said: “A 13.8 per cent increase in overall violence equates to 504 more crimes.

“Some 313 additional crimes are common assault category so assaults with no injury. Further analysis shows these common assaults primarily have been none recent which were recorded more than a year after.

“There were 19 more attempted murders recorded this year than there were in 2024. The majority of these occurred in a domestic setting often involving strangulation or when a vehicle has been used as a weapon.

“I would stress these crimes may have always been recorded however but were record differently as serious assaults or strangulation or dangerous driving in respect of a vehicle being used as a weapon.

“We have got much better at identifying the more serious charge through forensic and medical evidence allowing us to liable the more serious charges from the outset.”

Investing “considerable resources” into sexual crime and domestic offences was also seeing benefits.

“The outcome is increased levels of recorded crime, however this is undoubtedly the right thing for us to do to protect and safeguard vulnerable people, identify future victims and hopefully secure convictions against perpetrators.”

While there was a slight decrease in the number of missing person investigations – 1394 were recorded in 2025 compared to 1,406 in 2024 – there was a 35.4 per cent increase in the number of care experienced children going missing.

The figures show 181 were reported in 2025 compared to 117 in 2024.

“Work continues in this area between missing person coordinators and partners to try and reduce that number particularly to ensure we are addressing any risks associated with young people,” said the police chief.

“Fife has a significant number of residential care homes and private foster carers in comparison to other areas. Often children from outwith Fife come into Fife to be accommodated and are often coming with significant vulnerabilities as a result.”

Work is also continuing to tackle antisocial behaviour.

“I recognise that off road bikes create problems. It does bring operational challenges in terms of how we respond on the ground in a manner that is safe to the public and officers,” said Chief Superintendent Anderson.

“Further examples of engagement and responding to concerns is addressing antisocial behaviour on the bus network that has been raised on a number of routes.

“We have had officers travel in plain clothes joined by an inspectors from Stagecoach to engage with school children and that has been well received.”

Glenrothes West and Kinglassie Labour councillor Altany Craik was pleased to see the ongoing work to tackle crime.

“It looks quite stark in terms of numbers but the context has helped that,” he said.

Darren Watt, Conservative councillor for Cowdenbeath, said: “Road safety and road crime tends to be the main subject for me. There is a lot of debate just now especially with mitigation that Fife Council is doing with various traffic calming measures and the recent implementation of 20mph speed limits.

“The figures are stark and it has been such a substantial increase. There has been an increase right across Fife. Is that because more confidence in police that people are reporting it or has there been more action from the police?”