An abduction was reported an average of once every six days in Tayside and Fife during the first five months of this year, The Courier can reveal.
There were a total of 26 abductions across the region between January and May, according to statistics from Police Scotland.
The “extremely serious offence”, which involves taking someone against their will, was most prevalent in Fife but there were instances across Courier Country.
Police said that they used “all resources at their disposal” to catch the offenders.
Fife saw the highest number of abductions, with the Dunfermline area alone reporting five incidents in the same number of months.
A total of 11 abductions took place across the City of Discovery, while two took place in Forfar and one took place in Strathearn, according to figures obtained under Freedom of Information legislation.
Geoff Newiss, director of research at Parents and Abducted Children Together, suggested police should keep a “watchful eye” on the figures.
He said: “This is clearly concerning but these figures are often a bit up and down.
“Scottish law has a definition of abduction that includes adults so there can be a lot of variation behind these numbers. Within them you’ll see familial abduction, as well as abduction by someone known to the family but not a member. They also record attempts as well as actual abductions.
“(But) we would always ask the police to keep a watchful eye on these figures. There is clearly a question of how many abductions are reported as well as how they are recorded.”
Detective Superintendent Pauline McCallum of Police Scotland said: “All reports of abduction are thoroughly investigated and we will use all resources at our disposal to work towards making the victim safe as quickly as possibl
“Abduction is an extremely serious offence and Police Scotland is committed to tracing those who engage in this criminality and ensuring they are brought to justice.”