Residents are being reminded to report crimes to the police instead of just posting about them on Facebook.

Kilwinning Community Council’s chair Jackie Hamilton said incidents are frequently happening but not always being reported to the authorities - despite gathering shares on social media sites.

Chair Jackie Hamilton said: “We’ve had a number of incidents of vandalism in the Main Street, and there was also recent discussion about somebody trying doors in the Blacklands area one night.

“It all gets discussed on Facebook but nobody tells the police so none of this is getting recorded.

“The police asked for our support in trying to encourage people to do this and report it. There is big discussions that happen about all this on Facebook and everybody presumes someone has told the police and they haven’t.

“We’ve had three separate incidents of vandalism in the Main Street – not major crime of the century stuff but it is extremely annoying.”

To contact Police Scotland call 101, or always ring 999 in an emergency. Details can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.