Feature: Dismay on Scottish island over first crime in living memory

For the residents of a tiny island off the coast of Scotland it might be regarded as the crime of the century.

But the 20 residents who live on Canna are unlikely to see a team of detectives from Scotland Yard's famous Flying Squad making the 950 km journey from London to help solve the crime.

Normally the local police constable from the Scottish mainland makes the ferry trip just twice a year, mainly to check paperwork for legal gun licenses.

The scene of the crime is the island provisions store which remains opened for customers, but is unstaffed during the evenings. Customers serve themselves and leave the cost of their purchases in an honesty box.

A few days ago, a mystery thief stole a quantity of goods, and left without paying. The thief's haul included candy, chocolate bars and biscuits, as well as six hand-knitted hats made by Julie McCabe, the shop manager, who used wool from local sheep for her handicraft work.

The last theft on the island dates back to the 1950s, meaning few of the islanders of Canna will ever have experienced a crime in their lives.

Canna island, just 7 km long and 1.5 km wide, is the westernmost island of Scotland's remote Inner Hebrides island group.

McCabe said the theft from the island's shop had shocked the community.

She told the mainland newspaper, the Aberdeen Press and Journal: "We are all pretty gutted. I went down and noticed a lot of items were gone. All of the sweets had been cleared out. I got that sinking feeling. I am absolutely floored that someone has been in and did that to our community."

"We are thinking about putting CCTV in, but we don't want to do that because it goes against the whole honesty idea. When you live on a small island like this you have to trust your neighbor and everybody round about," said McCabe.

Police Scotland dispatched an officer to the island on Wednesday in search of clues. It meant a five-hour return journey by ferry from the Scottish mainland for the police officer.

Inspector David Campbell said Thursday: "We sent an officer because a crime has been committed on the island. We do not have a permanent police presence on the island. We will study the officer's report and all lines of enquiry will be considered. I am hopeful we will get to the bottom of this crime."

At the time of the crime a number of visiting boats were moored at the island's pier.

Added Campbell: "It is the first report of dishonesty on the island for many years. It has had an impact on what is a very close knit community and has cast a cloud on the island's open-door policy for its shop."

Scottish Nationalist Party politician Mike Russell, who represents the island at the Scottish Parliament, said the "honesty box" culture was common across Scotland's island communities.

Russell commented: "You have honesty bars in hotels, honesty boxes in shops, and I know lots of people who leave their keys in their cars," Russell said. "Modern life is not always attuned to how island life is, but I'd much rather have islands remain the way they are."

Despite the value of the thief's haul only valued at a handful of U.S. dollars, news of the crime has traveled the world.

Police, it seems, are seeking a chocolate loving individual wearing a hand-knitted wool hat. Endit