Like most Press statements, the truth of the matter resides in the last couple of paragraphs after all the fol-de-rol and ta-ra of the bulk of the statement.
For example, you will note that the 15 convictions in the last paragraph suddenly becomes "15 convictions or CAUTIONS". cautions are a system used in England for very minor offences in order to save Court time. Unlike in Scotland, England officially records cautions, Scotland doesn't.
Also note this: "Worryingly, the statistics warn that this hard-core element of serial criminals is growing in number". Interesting use of English here.
In the previous paragraph they are descibed as "serial offenders". The official definition of offences is that of a misdemeanour i.e. a minor crimes, such as public drunkenness, Breach of the Peace, petty assaults, and shoplifting. Yet in the very next sentence "serial offenders" magically becomes "a hard-core element of serial criminals". You will note that at no time does the article define what this means.