Six men have been charged with attempted murder following an incident at Southhouse Square, Edinburgh, in January.
Around 8.35pm on Friday, 26 January 2024, emergency services attended Southhouse Square, following reports of a disturbance involving several men.
One man, aged 25, was found seriously injured and taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. A second man, aged 24, was also injured in the altercation and sought medical treatment.
A black BMW car was also stolen during the incident.
Extensive enquiries were carried out and six men, aged between 20 and 58, were arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
A report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
Detective Sergeant Steven Dick said: “I would like to thank the members of the public who responded to our appeal for information and came forward with information.”
Following several incidents across the city Police in Edinburgh ask that vehicle owners take note of the following simple prevention measures that could stop your vehicle being stolen –
• Use a steering lock – a visible deterrent to thieves.
• If your vehicle has keyless entry use a Faraday pouch / metal tin to prevent relay theft.
• Do not leave keys close to windows / doors – this aids relay theft and physical theft of the keys.
• If you have a private driveway / parking space, consider fitting a parking bollard.
• Fit a lock to the vehicles On Board Diagnostic (OBD) port to prevent thieves easily re-programming a new key.
• Use a pedal box – these specially designed boxes fit over the drive pedals and lock in place when the vehicle is not in use.
• Physically check doors are locked before leaving your vehicle and don’t leave valuables within.
• Trackers can assist in the recovery of stolen vehicles – check if your vehicle has one and how to obtain information if it is required.
If you see anyone acting suspiciously near to your property please contact the police immediately with as detailed a description as possible of any person or vehicle involved.
Please call 999 if an emergency and urgent police assistance is required or 101 to report the matter to the police.
Enquiries are continuing following a housebreaking in Silverknowes on Monday evening (7 February, 2022).
Around 8pm, police received a report of a house in Silverknowes Gardens being broken into. Officers attended and the rear door to the property had been smashed. No-one was within the house at the time and an assessment of what has been taken is under way.
Enquiries carried out so far have revealed that following the break-in the suspect(s) got into a beige or gold coloured Nissan Note car. The registration of the car is GF60 XZH but it is possible the registration plate has been changed.
The Nissan Note was stolen from the Davidson Mains area last month and officers are appealing to anyone who may have seen it to contact them.
Door-to-door enquiries are being carried out and officers are gathering and reviewing relevant CCTV footage for any further information on the suspect(s) and the Nissan Note.
Detective Sergeant Steven Dick said: “It appears the Nissan Note is being used by the suspect(s) to leave the scene and transport any stolen items.
“We should all feel protected in our homes, and know that our personal items and objects are safe from thieves. I am asking for the public’s help in trying to locate this vehicle. If anyone has seen it or noticed it parked up somewhere then please do get in touch with us.
“Your information could help us trace whoever is responsible and allow us to return any stolen items to their rightful owners.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 3026 of 7 February, 2022. Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where you can give information anonymously.
More than 150,000 motor vehicles were stolen in Great Britain in the year 2018-19, 10,000 more than the year before and a 56% (54,932) increase compared to four years earlier, according to data analysed by RAC Insurance.
All but three of the police forces that responded to a Freedom of Information request recorded an increase in the numbers of vehicles stolen in their force areas from 2014-15 and 2018-19, with some stark differences across the country.
The largest increases in terms of vehicle numbers were in the Kent Police (up 12,550 to 40,726 thefts in 2018-19, a 45% increase), Metropolitan Police (up 9,635 to 30,773 thefts, a 46% increase) and West Midlands (up 5,677 to 10,372 thefts, a 121% increase) force areas.
Six forces recorded a more than doubling in the number of vehicles stolen between 2014-15 and 2018-19, with the biggest jumps in Suffolk (up 172% from 347 to 945 thefts), Surrey (up 133% from 661 to 1,543 thefts) and the West Midlands.
Only Lincolnshire, the City of London and Police Scotland recorded a reduction in thefts over this period however, with reductions of 28, 29 and 473 thefts respectively.
Year-on-year comparisons (2017-18 to 2018-19)
Most police forces (32) also recorded a rise in vehicle thefts year-on-year, between 2017-18 and 2018-19. Kent again saw the largest rise as well as the largest number of overall vehicles stolen in 2018-19 (up 2,575 to 40,726 thefts, 7% more than in 2017-18), followed by Essex (up 1,056 to 5,409 thefts, 24% more than in 2017-18) and the West Midlands (up 836 to 10,372 thefts, 9% more than 2017-18).
When looking at the biggest percentage increases over this 12 month period, Suffolk witnessed the highest jump with 44% more thefts (945 in 2018-19 compared to 655 a year earlier), followed by Bedfordshire (37% increase, from 1,056 to 1,445 thefts) and North Wales (32% increase, from 464 to 612 thefts).
RAC Insurance spokesperson Simon Williams said:“These figures paint a rather disturbing picture – vehicle thefts are on the rise almost everywhere, and in some parts of the country numbers are rocketing.
“It’s also not the case that the rises in crime are confined to a few larger urban areas, with many police forces covering more rural areas also seeing big increases.
“While vehicle crime is at far lower levels today than it was in the early 1990s, thanks to improvements in vehicle security, and the number of vehicles licensed to be driven on the UK’s roads is higher than at any point in the past, it’s still concerning that so many more vehicles are being stolen than just a few years ago.
“One crumb of comfort from the data however is that the increases might be starting to plateau, and it will be interesting to discover just what effect the coronavirus lockdown has on vehicle thefts when the data becomes available.
“Some of the increases in recent years can be put down to a rise in thefts of vehicles that are easier to steal, such as motorbikes and mopeds that are less likely to have immobilisers.
“Government data also shows that thieves generally use keys to access vehicles in around half of crimes, which suggests perhaps some drivers could do more to keep their keys safe. And in an estimated fifth of cases (18% in 2018), thieves were able to access cars because one or more cars weren’t locked in the first place.
“Based on these figures, it’s vital drivers take steps to protect themselves and avoid being an easy target. Three of the biggest factors that determine whether a car is stolen or not come down to how it’s secured, where it’s kept and the time of day.
Criminals appear to prefer stealing vehicles at night, with those parked at owners’ homes, presumably where there is easier access to a key, also being favoured.
“While organised criminal gangs are responsible for a large proportion of crime, thieves will also be opportunistic in nature so the more a driver can do to make their car a less likely target the better.
“It’s also critical motorists buy quality motor insurance policies that will cover them in case the worst happens. A strong, comprehensive policy can go a long way towards giving peace of mind in the event a vehicle is stolen.”
Lessen the chances of your car being stolen
RAC Insurance offers drivers this advice:
Don’t make your car an easy target. Always lock your car securely when you leave it, even for a short time. Ensure all doors, windows and any roof opening (sunroof or hood) are locked, and keep your keys with you. Consider buying a steering wheel lock for extra (visible) security. This can make it easier for a would-be thief to pass over your vehicle. It’s also a good idea to keep the car’s logbook secure at home, rather than in the car
Find the right place to park. Most vehicle-related theft takes place at night. When away from home, park in locations that are well-lit and open to public view – car parks that have security patrols and are covered by CCTV can be safer, and it’s also a good idea to look for the ParkMark logo at car parks that have met that certain security standards
Double-check your car is locked when you leave it. Make sure you see and hear your car locking before you leave it – look for the tell-tale flashing indicators and click of the locks engaging
Does your car use a keyless entry/start fob? Avoid being a ‘relay attack’ victim. Thieves can use a technique to copy the key signal to another device that’s placed close to a vehicle. This can fool the car into thinking the genuine key is present and can mean a thief can drive away in the car. If you have a keyless car fob, always keep it well away from doors and windows in your house. Keeping it in a metal (Faraday) box or signal blocking wallet can stop thieves copying the signal
Consider security when you next change your vehicle. If you are buying a car on the second-hand market make sure it has an immobiliser and, ideally, a Thatcham-certified alarm. You can also use Thatcham Research’s Consumer Security Ratings to help work out how secure certain models are
In winter: Icy morning? Don’t leave your car while it’s defrosting. The majority of vehicle thefts take place at vehicle owner’s home. Always stay in your vehicle while the car is warming up and demisting the windscreen – if you leave it, there’s a risk someone could get behind the wheel before you do!
