By Graeme Strachan

POLICE BELIEVE armed robberies have gone up in Tayside because drug dealers are no longer accepting stolen goods as payment for the poison they peddle.

Whereas before drug abusers would have raided houses, offices or shops for goods to sell on or trade as payment, they are now only interested in hard cash. That’s what appears to have made corner shops an appetising target.

Last year robbers armed with machetes, knives and guns raided a number of shops in Dundee, subjecting staff to terrifying ordeals.

Robberies, including attempts, increased from 77 to 125 in just a year and Chief Constable John Vine said drug dealers now only accepting cash was a contributory factor.

“Intelligence analysis suggests that dealers of controlled drugs are now asking for cash as payment for drugs whereas stolen property was accepted in the past,” said Mr Vine in a report which he will deliver to Monday’s meeting of Tayside Joint Police Board in Perth.

“This information, coupled with mobile telephones continuing to be a target of thieves, has contributed to a rise in this type of crime.

“Priority continues to be given to the investigation of this particularly serious category of crime, with all efforts being made to reduce the instances and increase the detection rates.”

Robbery, including attempts, accounted for 125 crimes and 28.1% of the serious violent crime recorded from April to November 2006, compared to 20% (77 crimes) for the corresponding period last year.

The Dundee robberies contributed to the increase, but Mr Vine will announce that detection rates have improved and currently stand at 58%—having been at 52.7% the previous year.

There has been a 28% rise in the number of dealers peddling Class A drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, on the streets of Tayside being caught by police.

Detection rates have gone up, helped by a four-week intensive operation that resulted in 44 arrests and the recovery of heroin with a street value of over £250,000.

“The targeting of individuals who supply Class A drugs continues to be a priority for the force,” said Mr Vine.

“There has been a 28.8% increase in the detection of offences relating to the supply of Class A drugs.”

Overall Tayside Police has achieved an 84.2% detection rate for all crimes.