Efforts are being made to put a stop to shoplifting in Prestonpans following a rise in incidents in the town where stores are being targeted “several times per day”.

At a meeting of Prestonpans Community Council at the end of last month, group members were presented with the monthly police report, which included a foreword from PC Maughan of Police Scotland.

The report read: “There has been a stark rise in shopliftings being committed throughout the Preston Seton Gosford area, with stores being targeted several times per day.

“Stores, regardless of how big, can’t afford to take losses – this affects stores takings/profit and as such affects budgets for staff, with the possibility of staff/overtime cuts and, with the cost-of-living crisis here, cutting shop workers’ hours/overtime could have a devastating effect on staff and the wider community.

“Shopliftings need to be taken seriously and reported.

“Efforts are being made by myself and the East Lothian Community Action (ELCAT) team to disrupt shoplifters and arrest them.”

Community council members said at the meeting that this had been an ongoing issue which was threatening businesses in the town.

Graeme Hutchison, member, said: “We’ve been having problems for years now and staff at shops are concerned.

“Businesses are losing a lot of money because of this and it’s the same group of people doing it.”

Councillor Lachlan Bruce, ward member for the area, said he had raised concerns about what items were being stolen at the last Community and Police Partnership meeting (CAPP) meeting.

He said: “From what we are being told, they are stealing any items they can sell on.

“It’s not just essential items that are being stolen.”

The report found that, between January 23 and February 26, 17 shoplifting offences had been recorded, the highest recorded crime in the area.

During the same period, 211 calls were made to police from the area, resulting in 62 crimes being recorded.

Sixteen offences related to violence and anti-social behaviour were recorded, including five assaults, one dangerous dog and one incident of acting in a racially aggressive manner.

A total of 27 crimes of dishonesty were recorded, including the 17 shoplifting cases, two thefts and three thefts from a vehicle.

Four road safety crimes were recorded in the report, including one incident of drug driving.

Four crimes were recorded for possession of drugs, nine crimes for breaching bail conditions and two miscellaneous crimes.