THIS week’s walk down memory lane takes us back nine years – when the Tele revealed that violent crime in Inverclyde had been significantly reduced in the space of a year — while police detection rates were on the rise.
A raft of offences — which included serious assaults— had been cut by nine per cent during 2013/14, as officers in the district worked to maintain ‘a continually improving picture’.
Official figures released by Police Scotland showed that there were 125 recorded ‘crimes of violence’ in Inverclyde in 2013/14, compared with 138 in 2012/13.
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More than seven out of every ten violent offences were detected by police officers — 3.7 per cent more than the previous year’s figure of 66.7 per cent.
Superintendent Alan Speirs welcomed the figures.
He told the Tele at the time: “The big picture in Inverclyde is that crime is down and detection rates are up.
“It is a pretty positive scenario overall.”
Elsewhere, Greenock building society staff got on their bike for their own ‘Tour de France’ to raise money for a cancer charity.
Five staff at the Yorkshire Building Society in West Blackhall Street took turns on a static bike to cover the 190-kilometre distance of the first stage of the legendary cycle race.
The building society was an official supporter of the Tour de France, and Marie Curie Cancer Care is its charity partner.
Meanwhile, diners with the taste for the exotic could sample ALLIGATOR TAIL which was being cooked up and served on the streets of Greenock.
The reptile, which diners said tasted like ‘fishy pork’, was being offered to customers at Jax Snax in Pottery Street.
Owner Gary Lewis said the protein-rich meat — which he fried and served up as a ‘Gator and Crayfish Gumbo with chips’ had went down a storm since he introduced it at his street food van.
Gary told the Tele at the time: “The reaction to this dish has been mind blowing.
“The other day a guy came up and asked for his usual roll and sausage but when he spotted the gator gumbo he asked what it was and couldn’t believe it.
“When I told him so he cancelled his order and asked for that instead.
“I let people try it and they seem to really like it. It’s just so different.”
In other news, kind-hearted workers at a Greenock firm raised £1,225 after taking part in a charity football tournament.
Employees at McKechnie Jess raised the funds in aid of the John Hartson Foundation.
The charity was set up by the former Celtic and Wales player to raise awareness and funds to battle testicular cancer.
In sport, new Morton striker Andy Barrowman was waiting on his results from an important university economics exam — but was completely focused on supplying the goals that Ton fans demanded.
The Tele had revealed how 29-year-old Barrowman had penned a one-year deal at Cappielow after snubbing interest from elsewhere.
It capped a busy few weeks for the frontman, who was then studying for a sports management degree as he looked towards his long-term future beyond football.
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