Scottish convenience retailers have warned of a growing wave of shop theft and violence involving children, stated recent reports, with some shopkeepers saying they are increasingly afraid to intervene for fear of being accused of abusing minors.
The warning comes as figures show the number of children caught in possession of stolen goods in Scotland has risen from 104 in 2023-24 to 172 last year. If the trend continues at the same rate through 2026-27, the figure could reach 200 incidents this year.
Mohammad Rajak, who has run Buywell Day-Today in Glasgow’s east end for more than three decades, said theft by children had also increased at his store, with offenders appearing to get younger.
“It’s gone from being 14-15 year olds all the way down to seven, eight, nine year olds now," Rajak told Daily Record. "This is the age bracket that know they are untouchable. But theft is theft - it doesn’t matter if you’re a seven-year-old or a 60-year-old."
Rajak, who had been the victim of a violent attack in the past, said retailers were reluctant to confront young offenders because of the potential consequences.
He added that reporting incidents through Police Scotland’s website had not given him confidence that action would follow.
Amjid Bashir, owner of Newsbox on Glasgow’s Queen Street, said his store had been repeatedly targeted by masked groups of up to 20 children in recent months, with thefts accompanied by abuse, violence and vandalism.
“We can’t do anything because they’re minors and if we touch them we’ll get charged. We can’t expel them - they’ll say ‘make us’. I’ve been physically attacked and so have my staff. My shop’s been smashed up,” he said.
Bashir said the groups typically ranged from 10 to 14 years old and often entered stores together to steal goods and damage premises. In one incident, six or seven children allegedly held up the shop’s electronic shutter while others threw items into the store, eventually smashing a door.
The retailer said he had seen little action following reports to police and called for stronger consequences for young offenders. He has also asked Alison Thewliss, Minister for Community Care, to raise the issue in Parliament, calling for “meaningful action before somebody is seriously injured”.
Separate figures show Police Scotland officers using stop-and-search powers caught 48 young people, some as young as 12, between April and June this year.
The rising figures have raised concerns that children are being exploited by organised crime gangs.
Last week, Scottish Police Federation chairman David Threadgold said the increase suggested children were being “routinely exploited for the purposes of criminality”.
He warned there was “no deterrent” if young people and criminals believed offenders would not face meaningful consequences, adding that guidance against imprisoning under-25s needed to be accompanied by “proper preventative, educational or rehabilitative measures”.