Vulnerable youngsters made to steal booze for black market as police probe gang who forced Scots teens to carry out 1,500 shop raids
Police have now launched a major operation to hunt down the gang which is believed to be behind an astonishing number of raids – more than 1,500 in the past year.
In a shocking example of exploitation, the ruthless gang leaders are recruiting vulnerable youngsters and ordering them to rob supermarkets and convenience stores.
Typically, the young thieves are told to steal beer, wine and spirits for resale on the lucrative black market.
The Mail can reveal Police Scotland is targeting the industrial- scale criminal enterprise in a crackdown called Operation Dynos.
Scotland's retailers are facing an unprecedented crimewave, with record numbers of thefts and attacks on shopkeepers and staff.
Meanwhile a child protection charity said growing numbers of young people are being exploited by criminals – and warned families to watch out for tell-tale signs.
Police Scotland said it is working with shops to track down the gang and bring them to justice.
Detective Superintendent Neil McDonald, the force's lead for acquisitive crime, said: 'Operation Dynos is addressing concerns of youths being exploited and encouraged to become involved in criminal activities.
'The current focus is on the organised theft by shoplifting of alcohol for resale and associated offences of disorder and violence, predominantly committed across the west of Scotland.
'In the last year, those linked to these offences have been responsible for 1,533 crimes, mostly the theft of alcohol, equating to around £166,560.
'Work is ongoing to gather intelligence, carry out enforcement activity and bring offenders to justice, while also supporting stores to enhance security.'
The gang is thought to be cynically recruiting under-18s in the belief that young people are less likely to be suspected of crime –and, even if they are caught, will probably be treated more leniently by the criminal justice system.
Earlier this year annual crime statistics showed an 18 per cent rise in shoplifting cases, with over 43,000 reported incidents.
In a recent survey by the Scottish Grocers' Federation (SGF), 83.5 per cent of shopkeepers reported experiencing an increase in violence towards shop staff.
Stores also revealed that they lost an average of nearly £20,000 a year to theft and vandalism.
SGF chief executive Dr Pete Cheema said: 'Retail crime is now endemic, and it's appalling that young people and children are being exploited by an organised group to carry out these crimes.
'What makes matters worse is that in many cases there is very little consequence for the perpetrators.'
David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, added: 'Soaring rates of shop theft are a scourge on communities across Scotland and a key factor behind rising levels of abuse and threats towards store workers.
'The financial cost pushes up prices for shoppers and undermines the health of our high streets.
'We wholeheartedly back the police's efforts to bear down strongly on the proliferation of thefts by organised criminal gangs who target retailers.'
Barnardo's Scotland said criminal exploitation of young people is a growing problem.
The charity's director, Martin Crewe, said: 'Children who are forced to commit crimes are often coerced, threatened and made to feel like there's no way out.
'We know that children who are not in school or living in poverty are at greater risk.
'Parents and carers should be alert to signs such as unexplained money or items, changes in behaviour, going missing, or being found in unfamiliar places.
'If you're worried, speak to your child without judgment and seek support from professionals.'
Police Scotland received £3m from the Scottish Government for 2025-26 specifically to tackle the ongoing rise in retail crime.
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