A 19-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with shoplifting, road traffic offences and possession of a bladed weapon in Edinburgh.
This follows a report of shoplifting in the St James Square area of the city around 2.30pm on Saturday, 4 July, 2026. The woman was traced in her car in the new town area.
She is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on a later date.
A 17-year-old male youth was arrested in the Chambers Street area on Wednesday, 8 July, and has been charged in connection with shoplifting offences in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow.
He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on a later date.
Sergeant Barry Mercer said: “We work closely with partners and retailers as part of our Shopwatch scheme where information is shared when a crime takes place or suspicious activity is seen.
“It means officers can respond quickly to ongoing incidents with the support of Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce.
“Retail crime has a negative impact on businesses and we urge anyone with information to contact us on 101.”
A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to 21 months in prison following a threatening and abusive behaviour offence in Ravelston.
Marcus Laidley-Sobers pleaded guilty to the offence at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 22 June, 2026. He was sentenced at the same court today – Wednesday, 8th July, 2026.
Police received a report of threatening behaviour in the West Court area of Edinburgh on Thursday, 20 March, 2025.
Laidley-Sobers was arrested and charged in connection with the incident on Wednesday, 2 April, 2025, following the execution of a warrant.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “Laidley-Sobers will now face the consequences of his actions.
“Bringing another individual to justice is testament to the continued hard work and dedication by detectives, specialist officers and partners across the country.
“Police Scotland remains committed to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce and its national strategy.”
Operation Portaledge is the ongoing investigation into violent incidents in the East and West of the country.
A man has been arrested following a fatal incident in Leith.
Emergency services were called to a disturbance outside Cables Wynd House – the Banana Flats – at around 9.40 last night (Sunday 5 July).
A man was found with serious injuries and he died at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Police confirmed a 33-year-old man has been arrested and enquiries are ongoing.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.40pm on Sunday, July 5, 2026, police received a report of a disturbance outside Cables Wynd House, Edinburgh.
“Officers attended and a man was found with serious injuries. He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where he died a short time later.
“A 33-year-old man has been arrested and enquiries are ongoing.”
A teenager has been arrested and charged in connection with the robbery of two elderly women in Edinburgh.
Around 2.10pm on Sunday, 14 June, a 93-year-old woman was approached by a man on Stevenson Road and robbed of jewellery.
A second incident happened during the same afternoon in Shandon Place, where a 78-year-old woman was approached, asked for directions, and subsequently robbed of jewellery.
A 17-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with both incidents. He was due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday – Friday, 3 July, 2026.
Detective Constable Lindsay Johnston said: “I would like to thank those members of the public who assisted the victims at the time and for their support during our investigation.
“As a direct result of our public appeal into the Stevenson Road incident, a second complainer came forward to report what happened to them in extremely similar circumstances in the Shandon Place area.
“We remain committed to tackling crimes of dishonesty and bring offenders before the courts.”
Police have been conducting Stronger North activity in the North Edinburgh area over the past week. Officers have made 42 arrests and executed seven misuse of drugs warrants since last Monday. Over the last week £9000 worth of drugs have been recovered in the area, along with seven stolen motorcycles and one stolen car. Seventeen vehicles have also […]
A 34-year-old man has been sentenced for the attempted rape of a woman that happened in the Thistle Street North East Lane area in November, 2025.
Olaksandr Dupik was sentenced to four years at the High Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday, 1 July, 2026, having previously pled guilty.
Detective Inspector Stephanie Garnett said: “Dupik’s actions were appalling and he will now have to face the consequences of his behaviour.
“We take all reports of sexual crime extremely seriously and I would encourage anyone who has experienced this kind of abuse to contact us on 101. You will be listened to and supported.”
Over 450 Blue Badges have been cancelled after findings show permits issued to deceased residents were still being used
459 unauthorised Blue Badges cancelled in Wirral Council, saving over £363,000 for the taxpayer.
Potentially fraudulent permits identified with a data matching tool through the Public Sector Fraud Authority’s National Fraud Initiative.
Nationally, the estimated value of Blue Badges cancelled was over £34 million across the past two years.
Over 450 Blue Badges have been cancelled after findings show permits issued to deceased residents were still being used. This joint operation between the Public Sector Fraud Authority and Wirral Council protects parking spaces for those who truly need them and has saved taxpayers over £363,000 between 2024-2025.
Blue Badges give disabled people access to parking where they need it most, with every fraudulent badge denying that access to someone in genuine need. In the last two years, the estimated value of Blue Badges cancelled across the country was over £34 million, as the government is now finding and stopping fraud faster than ever before.
The government’s National Fraud Initiative matched Wirral Council data against central government records held by the Department for Work and Pensions. By cross-referencing these matches to internal records, the investigation team generated a high-priority ‘hotlist’, leading to the cancellation of 459 badges potentially being used fraudulently, with a loss prevention value of over £363,000.
Traffic wardens in the Wirral will now conduct targeted patrols including roads near local schools, with powers to confiscate badges on the spot. Residents misusing badges following the death of the badge holder face formal warning letters and fines of up to £1,000.
Cabinet Office Minister Satvir Kaur said: “Blue Badges are a lifeline for disabled people, allowing them to go about their daily business safely and with dignity. Every time a badge is misused, it unfairly deprives someone in genuine need of a vital parking space right when they need it most.
By working closely with Wirral Council, we are ensuring those in need are properly supported and taxpayer money is protected.
Wirral Council leader and Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee, Cllr Paula Basnett, said:“The Blue Badge scheme is an important means of support for some of our most vulnerable residents, but sadly it seems it has become subject to an acceptable level of misuse across the country.
“Our response in Wirral has been to use all the tools at our disposal to conduct a proactive, intelligence-led operation, which is backed up with a stronger enforcement strategy. This includes giving traffic wardens the power to immediately cancel and remove illegally used badges and issue warning letters with the potential for fines up to £1,000.
“We have also been collaborating closely with our neighbouring Council in Liverpool to support the management of formal prosecutions. This demonstrates our joined-up approach to tackling fraud locally.”
This builds on work done by the government to fight fraud across the public sector, with £7.53 billion saved for the taxpayer over the past year due to our efforts to identify and dismantle fraud across both central and local government.
These measures are part of our long-term commitment to reduce the estimated £55 billion to £81 billion lost annually to fraud and error across government, as we create a more productive and agile state.
POLICE are appealing for information following the robbery and assault of a man in Craigmillar.
The incident happened around 8.30pm on Monday, 22 June, 2026, on Niddrie Mains Road near Jack Kane Park.
The man’s phone was taken. He was taken to hospital for treatment.
One suspect is described as male, white, around 5ft 10in tall, around 30-year-old, of medium build, with dark hair. He was wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie.
The other suspect is described as female, white, around 5ft 8in tall, around 30-years-old, of slim build, with dark hair. She was wearing a light-coloured top, leggings, and white trainers.
Constable Daniel Mackintosh said: “This was a busy area and we are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us.
“We’d also ask anyone with private CCTV or dash-cam footage which could assist our enquiries to come forward.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 3465 of Monday, 22 June, 2026. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Heading out this weekend? Whether you’re at a festival, beer garden, night out or house party, be aware of the signs of spiking.
Call NHS 24 on 111 for advice
Call 999 if it’s a life-threatening emergency
Report suspected spiking to Police Scotland on 101
