There have been thousands fewer reports of anti-social behavior in the past year compared to the same period a year earlier, new police statistics show.

Police Scotland said the number of reported incidents dropped by a quarter, from 13,354 to 9,856 in 2021/22.

But violent crime is up, with attempted murder crimes rising from seven to 13, and serious assaults jumping from 95 to 121 across Argyll and West Dunbartonshire police area.

Domestic abuse incidents went up slightly, by one per cent, with more than 2,100 incidents in three months. But less than half of those were actually recorded as crimes.

There were 300 more common assaults, according to the figures, released on June 2.

Threats and extortion crimes more than doubled, from 13 to 38.

Robbery and assault with intent to rob fell from 37 to 26 in a year.

And while cruel and unnatural treatment of children was down slightly, there were still 27 crimes reported across the region.

And only 78 per cent of those crimes were "detected", or the person responsible was identified.

Of the 121 serious assaults, 89 were detected.

The figures for sexual crimes are much worse. The detection rate for rapes and attempted rapes was just 46 per cent. For Lewd and libidienous practices, it was just 41 per cent.

Possession or distribution of indecent images of children had a 100 per cent detection rate, up from 70 per cent the year before.

But only 63 per cent of crimes for communicating indecently were detected.

In total, sexual crimes were up by 30, from 435 to 465, and crimes of dishonesty were up by nearly 200 between the fourth quarter of 2020/21 and 2021/22.

In other figures, housebreakings were down but had a detection rate of just 22 per cent for the 229 crimes.

Shoplifting was up from 405 to 533 crimes, but the detection rate was 41 per cent.

Fraud crimes are also up to 428, but the rate of finding someone responsible was just 13 per cent.

Fire-raisings were down, but just over a quarter resulted in detection.

Crimes such as carrying offensive weapons, supply of drugs, and possession of drugs were all down. Total drug crimes dropped from 1,559 to 985.

Driving offences were broadly the same as a year earlier., but the number of casualties - slight, serious and fatal - were all up, to a total of 180 from 139.

Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Lynn Ratcliff said: “The past year has been exceptional for policing as the effects of the pandemic continue to be felt and to impact on criminality within our local communities.

“However, the reduction in overall crime across Argyll and West Dunbartonshire is to be welcomed.

“We are committed to continuing engagement within our local communities and to listening and acting on what people are telling us concerns them most.

“People told us anti-social behaviour was having a significant impact on their sense of safety and quality of life. We listened and have run a number of operations in recent months targeting this issue, and this action is reflected in the latest data.

“We will continue to target anti-social behaviour as we move into the summer months. People’s engagement with us and their feedback is crucial in developing our local policing plans and in continuing to build public confidence in the service we provide.

“We will also continue to focus our efforts to reduce violent and sexual crime across the division, increased reporting can be an indicator of people’s confidence in reporting these offences to the police. We will act on and investigate all reports we receive to bring perpetrators to justice.

“People are telling us that we are delivering a consistent service and have welcomed increased visibility and presence in those areas where it is needed. I would like to encourage the public to continue engaging with us and to help us deliver the service that they want.”