THIRTY people have been arrested and charged in connection with acquisitive crime across Clackmannanshire and the wider Forth Valley area.

The arrests were carried out as part of a widespread two week long initiative, dubbed Project Shield by Police Scotland.

As reported by the Advertiser, Project Shield was launched last month and saw officers working with partners to help prevent and detect crimes such as housebreaking and thefts.

Overall, 67 crimes were detected, including 12 housebreakings, seven motor vehicle thefts, six attempted housebreakings, 24 shoplifting thefts and a variety of other incidents.

These crimes were detected and reported across the Police Scotland Forth Valley division, including Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire and Falkirk/Grangemouth.

In addition to the 30 arrests, a further 37 people will also be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

Detective Inspector John Currie said: "This results highlights our continuing commitment to tackling acquisitive crime in the Forth Valley area.

"Housebreaking and theft can be particularly intrusive and distressing for the victims of these crimes.

"We will always seek to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

"By working closely with our partners, we aim to prevent these crimes from happening in the first place, making our communities safer for everyone."