Council chiefs have been urged to fix a number of broken CCTV cameras – after it was revealed they had gone dark.
The ongoing lack of coverage in the heart of Ayr has today been labelled "extremely concerning".
Police attempting to cover certain parts of the town centre are doing so without vital eyes in the sky.
South Ayrshire Council would not confirm how many cameras are on the blink but admitted they are working to fix a "small number".
The issue is understood to be a cause of rising concern to cops keeping on top of crime in the town.
Ayr's Conservative MSP John Scott said: "The closed circuit television cameras on the High Street make a very significant contribution to the safety of people using the town centre and the security of businesses trading there, so it is extremely concerning that such a large part of the network is apparently not currently operational.
“This is a matter that needs resolved at the earliest opportunity to restore to the town centre the CCTV coverage it needs and return to the police a vital tool that they need.
"I have taken this matter up with the council and am urging them to take the steps necessary to fix this problem as quickly as possible.”
A council spokesperson said: "We are aware of faults in a small number of CCTV cameras positioned in Ayr town centre.
"The responsibility for maintenance is with our external maintenance contractors and these faults are currently being addressed."
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