TWO Irvine supermarkets are top targets for shoplifters in North Ayrshire.

New figures have shown that more thieves have been caught shoplifting from Asda and Tesco - two of the town’s largest supermarkets - than any other across North Ayrshire in the last year.

Between February 1, 2015 and the same period this year, police officially registered 161 crimes at Asda while Tesco clocked up 91 during that time.

In terms of shoplifting, Asda suffered 101 counts of thievery with Tesco encountering 45.

Aldi in East Road suffered 31 shoplifting crimes while Iceland in High Street and Sainsbury’s in Ayr Road recorded 22 and four respectively.

The police figures, revealed through a Freedom of Information request, also showed Ardrossan’s Asda in Harbour Road reported 44 counts of stealing.

But it’s not just shoplifting that have occurred within the supermarkets.

Ten minor assaults were reported as well as three attacks on emergency workers and ten reports of drug possession.

Eight instances of threatening and abusive behaviour were recorded and detected at Asda Irvine as well as single reports of knife possession, fraud, currency offences and vandalism.

Other crimes reported throughout supermarkets in North Ayrshire included a variety of offences like communicating indecently, vagrancy, theft of a bike, reckless conduct, attempts to pervert the course of justice and bail offences.