The number of recorded sex crimes and violent incidents in Scotland plummeted during lockdown, official figures show.
But the amount of cybercrimes rocketed as Scots were forced to spend more time at home during the last year as a result of the pandemic.
Experts believe the huge rise in fraudulent internet activity was caused in part by the boom in online shopping as non-essential stores were closed during repeated lockdown.
The total number of offences logged by police officers over the last year was 246,511 – one of the lowest levels since 1974 - with non-sexual violent crimes dropping by four per cent from 9,316 to 8,972.
Sexual crimes decreased by two per cent from 13,364 to 13,131, while rimes of dishonesty decreased by 19%, from 111,409 to 89,731 - the lowest level since 1971.
The National Statistics report on crime includes a new chapter on cyber-crime estimated that 14,130 online offences were recorded by officers in 2020-21, almost double the 2019-20 figure.
The Record revealed in October last year how bored Scots became cybersex criminals during lockdown to prey on lonely men.
Scottish experts said an online fraud in which cybersex encounters are simulated for financial gain reached epidemic proportions during the pandemic.
Dr Ben Collier, of Edinburgh University, said at the time: “The pandemic has led to major changes in the way we live our lives and cyber criminals are no different.
“Lockdown provided a fertile environment for those engaging in online fraud, such as romance scams and ‘eWhoring’, where individuals use images and videos from social media, purchased from performers, or captured using malware, in order to defraud victims in faked sexual interactions.
“This is due to an increased preponderance and susceptibility of potential targets who are lonely and spend more time online."
Meanwhile, cops in the Scottish Borders were called in to investigate a possible £220,000 e-commerce scam in June after five residents complained.
Keith Brown, the Scottish Government's justice secretary, said crime was now considerably lower in 2021 by all main measures than it was a decade ago.
But he admitted there was "work to be done" on cybercrime.
“These statistics show how crime in areas like vandalism and dishonesty, the sorts of crime that affects peoples’ everyday lives, has fallen – with levels not seen since the 1970s," he said.
“There is still work to be done as the figures on cybercrime show – which is why we have this year published a prevention, awareness and enforcement strategy to make Scotland an inhospitable place for scammers.
“And while Covid-19 has no doubt had an impact on the figures, recorded crime was on a downward trend beforehand and through the measures we recently announced in our Programme for Government - we will continue to make Scotland a safe place to live.
“It sets out how we intend to transform the way in which justice services are delivered, moving away from the use of custody for those who don't pose a risk of serious harm, while protecting the police resource budget in real terms for the entirety of the Parliament.
“Overall, these very positive trends are testimony not just to the hard work of Police Scotland but to the vital support the Scottish Government has put in place to enable officers to do their jobs effectively.”
Liam McArthur, the Scottish Lib Dems' justice spokesman, said the rise in online scams proved the need for a police service fit for the 21st century.
The MSP said: "With more than 14,000 cyber-crimes recorded in Scotland, it's clear that Scotland needs a 21st century police force to deal with 21st century challenges.
"So much of our lives now take place online and with that shift comes opportunities for unscrupulous individuals to exploit.
“In a society where a click of a button can move markets, seize control of personal computers or empty bank accounts, we must have a police force that is one step ahead of those who want to abuse our technologies.
"Senior police officers have warned in the past that the national force is struggling to get to grips with online offending.
"The Justice Secretary needs to work with Police Scotland to understand the changing scale of the problem and assess what resources might be required to tackle it."
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
