Visiting students attacked in Muirhouse

A group of overseas students have been attacked and robbed in Muirhouse. The incident happened outside the Millennium Centre on Muirhouse Medway on Wednesday night.

A dozen foreign exchange students were confronted by a gang of 15-20 local youths, both males and females, aged from nine or ten up to 18 years of age. Two of the students were assaulted and robbed and another two students received minor injuries.

A Police Scotland spokesman said the attack took place at about 22:00 on Wednesday and added: “This was an unprovoked attack on a group of foreign students who are currently staying with host families in Edinburgh. Inquiries are continuing and we are determined to find those responsible for this attack. Additional high-visibility police patrols are in the area and anyone with any information is asked to contact us.”

Police reinforce drugs warning following teenager death

Officers from Police Scotland are reinforcing a drugs warning following the death of an 18 year-old woman in Alexandria in the early hours of Tuesday morning (9 July).

An investigation is underway and our enquiries have so far revealed that the woman, along with three friends, had taken what they thought were ecstasy tablets. The tablets were described as green with a Rolex crown logo stamped on them. This is clearly a cause for concern.

Three men, aged 18, 21 and 25 have been admitted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital. The 18 year-old and 21 year old have since been discharged, however the 25 year old man remains within the hospital.

Superintendent Grahame Clarke said: “Our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of our communities. Public warnings have been issued recently in relation to the dangers of taking ecstasy, or indeed tablets being passed off as ecstasy. They are illegal and could contain a cocktail of toxic ingredients. We have yet to establish if this particular pill is to blame for the death of this young woman, but the fact that she and her friends took pills described as green and with a Rolex stamp on it causes us real concern.

“The exact contents of the pills are unknown but they could contain dangerous chemicals and users need to be aware of the dangers and understand the devastating effect they can have. Drugs are dangerous and illegal. I would strongly advise people to avoid any such pills or drugs and report any information to police.”

At this time of year there are numerous music festivals, including T in the Park which runs from Friday this week. We would urge people to enjoy the festivals and keep themselves safe. Possession of controlled drugs and supplying anyone else with drugs is illegal. Festivals organisers adopt a zero tolerance approach to illegal drugs and work alongside the police to tackle this criminal activity.

There will be drugs amnesty bins at the entrance to the campsites at T in the Park, where illegal substances can be disposed of without risk of exclusion or prosecution. Once inside the festival venue, drugs will not be tolerated and anyone caught dealing or carrying drugs will be arrested. Police Scotland’s specialist drugs dogs will also be operating at T in the Park.

Police Scotland is continuing work with its NHS partners in connection with this investigation.

Glasgow Royal Infirmary Senior Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine, Dr Richard Stevenson said: “We are deeply concerned about the number of drug related deaths. Symptoms to look for include a high temperature, aggression and muscle pains as well as an extreme exaggerated expected effect of the drug such as hallucinations and excitability which would be very alarming and unpleasant to the person experiencing them.

“These symptoms are treatable if help is sought early I would urge anyone who begins to feel unwell or feels a more intense high than usual after taking any drug which they think is ecstasy or not to seek immediate medical help.”

If anyone has any information about the sale or supply of such tablets, please contact police on the non emergency number, 101, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where you can give information anonymously.

‘Toxic’ drugs danger

Police Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are issuing a warning about the dangers of tablets being sold as ‘ecstasy’ which contain dangerous chemicals. Police are currently investigating a number of deaths which have occurred over the last two months where the victims appeared to have ingested what they thought was an ecstasy tablet but actually contained toxic stimulants.

An investigation is underway and our enquiries have so far revealed that the taking of what users thought was ‘ecstasy’ is a common denominator. Emergency doctors in Greater Glasgow and Clyde are joining police in issuing this warning following the rise in the number of drugs related deaths in young people.

Superintendent Alan Cunningham said: “This is clearly disturbing and we are currently carrying out extensive enquiries in relation to these incidents. Drugs are being sold as ecstasy tablets but they contain a cocktail of ingredients which have and can endanger life. These drugs are unstable, unpredictable and extremely dangerous and we want to highlight the very serious and potential harm which can be caused. In the build up to events such as T in the Park it’s crucial that the public is aware of the dangers of becoming involved in drug use. These very sad circumstances highlight the fact that often users don’t know what they’re taking.

“Of particular concern at the moment are green tablets with a Rolex crown logo stamped on them, some of these tablets have been found to contain dangerous toxic stimulant PMA. Previously we have warned of other tablets being sold as ecstasy which included the white tablet which has the Mitsubishi logo imprinted on it. This pill was found to contain the potentially dangerous chemicals, 5IT or AMT. We are also warning of a yellow tablet with a star logo imprinted on it containing a toxic stimulant, PMA.”

Glasgow Royal Infirmary Senior Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine, Dr Richard Stevenson said: “We are deeply concerned about this tragic increase in the number of drug related deaths. People are coming into A&E who have taken what they believe to be ecstasy but in some cases the drug is actually something else containing a highly toxic chemical formula which is proving lethal.”

All individuals in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area presented in hospital at a stage of toxicity which was too late for treatment. The majority of those who died were in their early 20s.

Dr Stevenson explained: “All the fatalities were due to symptoms which are treatable if help is sought early – sadly in these cases they all came into A&E too late. Symptoms include a high temperature, aggression and muscle pains as well as an extreme exaggerated expected effect of the drug such as hallucinations and excitability which would be very alarming and unpleasant to the person experiencing them. These symptoms are treatable if help is sought early I would urge anyone who begins to feel unwell or feels a more intense high than usual after taking any drug which they think is ecstasy or not to seek immediate medical help.”

If anyone has any information about the sale or supply of such tablets, please contact police on the non emergency number, 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Witness appeal, North Edinburgh

Police Scotland is appealing for witnesses following a suspicious incident in North Edinburgh.

Two 16-year-old girls were walking north along Telford Drive towards Granton at around 7.20pm on Friday (5 July) when a male approached them as they reached the bridge crossing Crewe Road North. The male engaged the girls in conversation before claiming they owed him money.

Both girls attempted to walk away from the suspect, who continued to follow them demanding money. The victims sought assistance from a young couple pushing a buggy and the male walked off along the walkway.

The suspect is described as white, between 20 and 40-years-old, tall and very skinny with a gaunt face. He was wearing a baseball cap, dark zip up, dark tracksuit bottoms and spoke with a local, but slurred accent.

A male has currently been detained and is assisting officers with their enquiries, but anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to come forward.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Neither girl knew this male and they were very distressed when he began following them, demanding money. We are keen to speak with anyone who was in or around Crewe Road North on Friday evening and remembers seeing anything suspicious. In particular, we would like to trace the young couple the victims spoke to and would ask them to contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

In the light place?

Street Lighting Issues: Wester Drylaw Place

After the recent footpath upgrade in 2012 and installation of a new street lighting system along the length of Wester Drylaw Place, Drylaw Telford Community Council was contacted by residents of Wester Drylaw Place who said that they were unhappy with the new form of street lighting installed and asked if the Community Council if they could take forward their grievances to the CEC Lighting Dept.

This we did and the outcome was after a meeting and a walkabout in the Wester Drylaw Place with a representative from CEC Lighting Dept. it was agreed that CEC Lighting Dept. would for a trial period over the winter install other options of lighting along Wester Drylaw Place and then survey the residents as to their preferred option and this would then be installed.

This survey form was delivered on the 30April 2013 to all addresses in Wester Drylaw Place.

Drylaw Telford Community Council urges all residents of Wester Drylaw Place to complete the survey form and return it; it’s Freepost or go online and complete it at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EdinburghLights

This was a community-led initiative, so participation by all residents of Wester Drylaw Place in completing this survey form will go a long way in making Wester Drylaw Place a brighter and safer area to walk.

Alex Dale

Chair, Drylaw Telford Community Council

Cumberland Street victim identified

A man who died after being found unconscious in a lane off Cumberland Street has been identified. Lee Hayburn, who was 28 and of no fixed abode, was discovered at around 5am last Friday. He was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary but died a short time later.

Police Scotland are treating Mr Hayburn’s death as unexplained and are investigations are ongoing. Members of the public with any information should contact Police Scotland on 101 or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.

Mr Hayburn was discovered close to The Cumberland Bar

Confusing Muirhouse signs in Muirhouse causing confusion!

Muirhouse man Robert Pearson is confused:

Over recent weeks, months and years contractors and Edinburgh City Council have been completing demolition in the Muirhouse area. Other than the odd articulated vehicles going the wrong way through the estate and driving past Craigroyston Primary school at 8.30am, I can say there hasn’t been any real issues.

But now that the contractors have completed their work the diversion, instruction and warning signs still remain in place, many of which now make no sense at all.

Recent high winds have dislodged the signs from there places high up on lamposts and now many are low down causing a danger to pedestrians and others are turning around when it’s windy.

Photographs show Safedem route out pointing in to the estate and others pictures show diversion ends which ended weeks ago. More dangers sign is the Pedestrians warning is at a height which if caught with the wind could easily strike a passerby.

Muirhouse View is still closed according to signage but in fact it has been open for some weeks, albeit it the road is still like a 4 x 4 track.

Hopefully Edinburgh City Council will arrange for these to be removed as soon as possible, but will they leave the large block of concrete which many of these signs poles are housed in?

Robert Pearson

101 – the new non-emergency number for the Police

101 is the new number to contact the police when it’s less urgent than 999.

The 101 non-emergency number will make it quicker and easier for you to contact the police when you don’t need an emergency response, for example to:

•speak to your local police officer
•report a crime that’s already happened, such as a theft or damage to property
•get crime prevention advice
•make us aware of any policing issues in your area

101 will replace our current non-emergency number/s and provides one easy-to-remember number to contact the police wherever you are in Scotland, or elsewhere in the UK.

The 101 non-emergency number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It costs a flat rate of 15p per call from both landline and mobile networks, no matter how long you are on the phone or what time of day it is.

When you dial 101, the system will determine your location and connect you to the service centre covering your area.

By having one easy to remember number, 101 should make the police more accessible while reducing pressure on the 999 system.

Deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or speech-impaired callers can access the service via TextRelay on 1 800 1 101.

In an emergency always dial 999 – when a life is in danger, a crime is in progress or a suspect is nearby.

Frequently asked questions:

1. What is 101?

101 is the new number for you to call to contact the police when it’s less urgent than 999.

101 replaces our (insert current non-emergency number(s) for your force) number and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

2. What should 101 be used for?

You should call 101 if you want to talk to your local police officer, get crime prevention advice, or report a crime that does not need an emergency response, for example:

•if your car has been stolen
•your property has been damaged
•you suspect drug use or dealing
•you want to report a minor traffic collision, or
•you want to give the police information about crime in your area

3. Why is 101 being introduced?

101 is being launched to improve public access to the police by giving you a single, easy-to-remember phone number, for when it’s less urgent than 999.

4. How does 101 work?

When you call 101, you’ll hear a recorded message announcing that you’re being connected to your local police service centre. The system will determine your location and connect you to a call handler in the service centre for your local area. This ensures staff with local knowledge answer and deal with your call in a way that best meets your needs and the needs of your community.

If you are calling from the boundary between Scotland and England then you may be offered a choice of force to be connected to. If the system cannot locate where you are calling from, then you’ll be connected by the operator to the appropriate service centre, where the call will be handled in the normal manner.

Calls to 101 will be prioritised in the same way as calls to existing non-emergency numbers.

5. If I am deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, can I call 101?

If you are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or speech-impaired then you can access the service via TextRelay on 1 800 1 101.

6. If English isn’t my first language, can I still call 101?

Service centre operators have access to professional interpreters who can quickly translate if you cannot speak, or have difficulty speaking, English.

7. How much does it cost to call 101?

Calls to 101 will cost 15p, no matter how long the call, what time of day it is made or whether it is from a landline or mobile phone.

8. Why is there a charge for calls to 101?

There has always been a cost associated with non-emergency calls. Introducing 101 allows this cost to be standardised across the country and in many cases the single, flat rate charge of 15p replaces previous higher charges. The police do not make any money from calls to 101.

9. Does 101 replace existing direct dial numbers?

If you want to speak to someone specific – for example your community officer – and you have their individual contact details, their direct dial number is still the best number to contact them on.

10. Does 101 replace 999?

No. 101 is the number to use to contact the police in situations that do not need an immediate response. 999 is still the number to call when an immediate response is needed – when a crime is in progress, when someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when a life is in danger or when violence is being used or threatened.

11. What happens if I call 101 but it is an emergency situation?

If you call 101 and it is deemed to be an emergency, or during the call your situation becomes an emergency, service centre staff are fully trained to deal with all emergency and non-emergency situations.

Always dial 999 when an immediate response is needed – when a crime is in progress, when someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when a life is in danger or when violence is being used or threatened.

12. Is 101 available outside of Scotland?

Yes, 101 is a national service that is also available across England and Wales.

13. What are the benefits of 101?

•101 provides one easy-to-remember number to contact the police anywhere in Scotland
•For the first time there will be a single flat rate charge
•The cost of the call will be transparent to the public and, in many cases, cheaper than current non-emergency numbers
•101 can potentially reduce pressure on the 999 system, allowing the police to prioritise the most urgent calls for help.

Positive public response to Made From Crime? campaign

A police campaign tackling people making money from crime has led to a significant increase in information about suspected criminals across the East of Scotland. The independent charity Crimestoppers has reported a 30% increase in intelligence reports since the “Made From Crime?” campaign launched across the area on 21 January.

Lothian and Borders Police, Central Scotland Police, and Fife Constabulary are all taking part in this phase of the campaign, which is designed to make specific use of the Proceeds of Crime legislation (POCA).

It asks members of the public to come forward and report their suspicions about people making money illegally. People are able to report information through a number of ways including telephone, online, and through specific facebook advertising that police forces are using to target communities throughout the East of Scotland.

The biggest rise in information came from the Fife Constabulary area, where there was an 80% rise in intelligence reports following the launch of the campaign.

The information has now been passed to police forces to investigate further.

A similar campaign that ran in the Lothian and Borders area in 2011 saw a 17% rise in information to Crimestoppers and allowed officers to target criminals in a series of raids across two days. During this period, over £6.4 million worth of assets were identified for seizure from criminals and 44 people were arrested.

Detective Superintendent David Gordon, Head of the Serious and Organised Crime Unit at Lothian and Borders Police, said: “Police forces across the East of Scotland are committed to targeting criminals who fund their lifestyles through crime. I am delighted that members of the public have come forward to tell Crimestoppers about their suspicions, and that they in turn have been able to provide us with vital intelligence to help us in our efforts to rid communities of crime. I know people can be scared to tell us about those who are making their lives a misery by peddling crime in their area, however please be reassured that all information will be treated in the strictest confidence.”

Kate Jackson, national manager for Crimestoppers Scotland, said: “The public response speaks for itself and clearly people are not prepared to put up with criminality so have contacted us with information. I would urge anyone else who has information about crime to contact us on 0800 555 111 where we guarantee their anonymity. No-one will ever know that they have contacted us, but they can be assured that their actions will assist in making their communities better places.”

Free safer sockets

A new campaign to encourage people to swap their power socket adapters for safer alternatives is being launched by the city council at Leith Asda this Friday (1st February).

The initiative, run by Trading Standards officers, is aimed at older people and those on low incomes. This follows research which found that 92% of these adaptors examined had safety issues which could potentially cause electrically-related fires.

To encourage safer electrical use in the home, the Council is giving away ‘bar’ socket extensions, which are safer because they prevent excessive weight being placed on the socket. The campaign is funded by the Electrical Safety Council.

Cllr Cammy Day, community safety leader, said: “To take part in the scheme, you can simply turn up with an old power socket adapter and hand it over in return for a free bar socket extension. We hope those most in need will come and take advantage of this opportunity to make their home that bit safer.“

Lorraine Carney, Senior Campaigns Manager at the Electrical Safety Council said: “According to government statistics, almost half of all accidental fires in UK homes – that’s over 20,000 each year – are caused by electricity, so we are delighted to work with the City of Edinburgh Council to support their innovative scheme, and make people aware of where electrical dangers may arise in their homes and how to prevent them.”

‘Swap shops’ will be set up at six locations across Edinburgh. Come along between 11am – 2pm on the following dates in February:

•Friday 1st: Asda Leith Superstore, 2 Sandpiper Drive, EH6 6QL
•Monday 4th: North Neighbourhood Office, 8 West Pilton Gardens, EH4 4DP
•Tuesday 5th: South Neighbourhood Office, 40 Captain’s Road, EH17 8HN
•Wednesday 6th: East Neighbourhood Office, 101 Niddrie Mains Drive EH16 4DS
•Thursday 7th: South-West Neighbourhood Office, 10 Westside Plaza, EH14 2ET
•Monday 11th: Drumbrae Library Hub, 81 Drum Brae Drive, EH4 7FE

Trading Standards Officers will be present to provide guidance on electrical equipment safety.

A maximum of two extensions per household are available, although there is no limit to the number of adaptors that can be handed in for disposal.