Police have launched an investigation into a series of fires which took place across Drylaw and Pilton in the early hours of this morning.
The six separate incidents were reported between approximately 2.30am and 4.30am at properties on a number of streets: Wester Drylaw Avenue, Wester Drylaw Drive, Crewe Road North, Groathill Loan and Groathill Road North.
The fires are all being treated as suspicious. Whilst there were no serious injuries reported, a number of people were treated at the scene and one person was taken to hospital.
Detective Inspector Jonny Wright, from Gayfield CID, said: “It is fortunate that these fires were discovered and extinguished when they were, and that we are not investigating a far more serious and tragic set of circumstances.
“Enquiries into each of these incidents are ongoing and we are appealing for anyone with information, or who may have seen any suspicious activity on these streets, to please come forward.
“We will be increasing our patrols in the area and engaging with the local community, to provide reassurance as we work to identify those responsible.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting incident 0675 of 18 September. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”
More than 100 roadside drug screening tests were conducted during a Drug Driving Campaign carried out by Police Scotland.
The campaign ran from August 23 to 29 when officers conducted a total of 109 roadside drug screening tests across Scotland, resulting in 42 drivers being arrested for providing a positive test. Blood samples were subsequently obtained from those arrested and sent for further analysis.
Officers from Greater Glasgow Road Policing, who deployed in support of the campaign observed a man driving using his mobile phone. When stopped he admitted to having consumed cannabis and the subsequent roadside drug test was positive for cannabis and cocaine. Following his arrest, a blood sample was obtained and submitted for analysis.
Superintendent Simon Bradshaw said: “Despite roadside drug testing being in place for almost two years and our continued efforts to raise awareness of the dangers associated with taking drugs and driving, our officers continue to detect drug driving offences far too regularly.
“Driving after taking drugs can have serious or even fatal consequences, impacting not only the driver but all those involved including family and friends.
“Police Scotland are committed to taking action against those who selfishly put others at risk by driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs. I would encourage people to report drink or drug drivers or concerning behaviour to us, officers will act on this information to stop offenders before they injure or kill themselves or someone else.”
Police have confirmed that a man has been charged in connection with the suspicious death of a woman in Holyrood Park.
Police and emergency services were called to Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park at around 9pm on Thursday, 2 September, 2021. A 31-year-old woman died at the scene a short time later and her death is being treated as suspicious.
She can be named as Fawziyah Javed from Pudsey, West Yorkshire.
A 27-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident and has now been charged. He is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 6 September, 2021.
Detective Inspector Bob Williamson said: “Fawziyah’s family ask for their privacy to be respected during this extremely difficult time.“I’d like to thank the officers and partners who attended the scene on Thursday evening and have assisted with our ongoing enquiries.”
Detectives are appealing for information after a shop was robbed in Davidsons Mains.The robbery took place at a tanning salon in Main Street at around 11.40am yesterday (Wednesday, 1 September).
A man entered the shop and presented a knife at the shop assistant and demanded money. No-one was injured and he made off with a three-figure sum of money.
It’s the second tanning shop robbery in Edinburgh within days – a salon on Summer Place in Inverleith was robbed on Friday evening.
Detective Inspector Kevin Tait of CID said: “Thankfully the member of staff working within the shop was unhurt, but extremely shocked by the incident.
“We are looking to trace a man described as being around 5’6” tall, of thin build. He was wearing a black beanie style hat, a black face mask, a black hooded top, black trousers rolled up to the knees and blue trainers.
“He left the shop on a BMX style bike, heading in the direction of Ferry Road.“We are carrying out a review of CCTV and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area to come forward. We would like to hear from motorists who have dash-cam, you may have captured something that could be of assistance to us.
“Anyone who has information that will assist this investigation is asked to contact us through 101 quoting reference number 1172 of 1 September, 2021. Alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.”
Detectives in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a man was struck by a car which then failed to stop. The incident happened on Restalrig Avenue near the junction with Craigentinny Avenue around 4.30pm on Friday (27 August).
A 34-year-old man was struck by a black Vauxhall Corsa car which had mounted the pavement before driving off.
The man was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh later that evening for treatment to non-life threatening injuries.
Detective Inspector Jonny Wright of Gayfield CID said: “Our enquiries so far suggest the car was deliberately driven at the man and we are seeking further information in relation to the matter.
“I would urge anyone who was in the area around 4.30pm on Friday afternoon and may have witnessed the incident or hold any information in relation to the incident to contact us.
“I would also ask anyone who may have seen a black Vauxhall Corsa car with collision damage since then to get in touch.
“Anyone with information can call 101, quoting incident 4357 of 27 August, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Police are appealing for information following a robbery in Inverleith on Friday (27 August).
At around 7.45pm a man entered a tanning salon on Summer Place and threatened the staff member with a knife before making off with a three figure sum of cash. The staff member was uninjured but left shaken as a result of the incident.
The male suspect is described as being around 5ft 10in in height and thought to be in his early 20s. He was wearing a black beanie hat, a face mask with a pattern, a two toned grey hooded zipper and black joggers. He was riding a full suspension mountain bike.
Detective Constable Zaira Marker of Corstorphine CID said: “We are appealing to anyone who was in the Summer Place area around that time who witnessed anything to please come forward.
“We would also appeal to any drivers who were in the area at the tie and who may have dash cam to review the footage and get in touch if you believe it may be able to assist us.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 3607 of 27 August. Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.
Police Scotland has issued a warning to people not to shine LASER lights at aircraft following a number of recent incidents in the Edinburgh area.
In the last six to eight weeks, there have been four incidents reported to police where LASER lights have been shone into aircraft attempting to land in Edinburgh area.
In one incident last month, the pilot of an air ambulance transferring a seriously-ill patient to hospital in Edinburgh had to abandon the landing after a LASER light was shone into the cockpit for 30 seconds.
After trying to land a second time, and being targeted again, the pilot had no option but to divert his helicopter to Edinburgh Airport. Enquiries into this incident are continuing.
Inspector Graeme Rankin, of Police Scotland’s Aviation Safety Unit, said: “This was an incredibly reckless and dangerous act which could have resulted in the injury of a pilot who was trying to fly a helicopter with a sick patient on board.
“Not only is this clearly illegal, with the possibility of a custodial sentence and/or an unlimited fine, it is exceptionally dangerous. Pilots can become temporarily blind at the most critical part of the flight while they are taking off and landing an aircraft which could have several hundred people on board.
“The consequences do not bear thinking about and we are determined to stop people from carrying out such obviously dangerous acts.
“We will do everything possible to track down, arrest and bring before the courts anyone who does this, but we are asking for the public’s help. If you see anyone shining a LASER light at an aircraft, you should call 999 immediately and report it to the police.”
Anyone who has any information about these, or any other incidents of a similar nature, is asked to call Police Scotland on 101 or report it anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Housebreaking in Edinburgh has continued to fall, despite COVID no longer significantly affecting reported crime.
Police Scotland has released its Q1 Management of Information data for the period of 1 April to 30 June, 2021, which shows that the total number of housebreaking incidents, including attempted break-ins has reduced from 504 to 343.
Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor said: “While restrictions relating to the pandemic continue to have an impact on the policing needs of our communities, the effect is different compared to the same period last year, when the first lockdown had only recently been introduced and the most stringent measures were in place.”
Last year we saw fewer houses being broken into as criminals looked targeted businesses and outbuildings instead. These crimes are now reducing whilst at the same time housebreakings to peoples’ homes have decreased by over 60% over the last 5 years.
Housebreaking remains a key priority for the division and all incidents are investigated by the Capital’s dedicated Housebreaking Team.
Nationally, overall reported crime has risen from last year, when the country first entered lockdown. This trend is mirrored in Edinburgh, where 187 additional crimes were recorded in comparison to the first quarter of 2020/21.
Across Scotland violent crime has also risen, but this is not reflected within Edinburgh, which has seen an overall fall in violent offences from 206 to 193.
This includes zero murders, compared to one last year, nine fewer serious assaults and 16 fewer incidents of robbery and assault with intent rob. This number also includes threats and extortion which account for over 15% of those offences.
The majority of these are attempts to extort money through online scams. These are often perpetrated overseas and establishing the nature and origin of the offending can be challenging. Tackling this kind of offending is recognised within the force strategic plan as cyber enabled crime increases the need for specialist skills and strengthened ties with other law enforcement agencies across the globe.
The division is also bucking the trend in terms of a rise in fatal road collisions, with one fewer of these tragic incidents being reported. Whilst there has been an increase in serious and slight injury collisions as we have moved out of lockdown these remain far below the injuries recorded before the pandemic and we are committed to driving them down further.
Edinburgh is consistent with the rest of the country in relation to an increase in sexual crime, with the division also experiencing a rise in overall sexual offences. The increases in sexual crime are lower than the national average and reflect a significant proportion of historical offences which are identified through officers building trust and confidence in victims and encouraging them to come forward with previously unreported crimes.
Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, said: “Last year’s unprecedented circumstances saw the crime picture for both Edinburgh and Scotland being skewed.
“DCC Taylor has confirmed that we are seeing a continued rise in 999 calls as we keep moving towards a sense of normality and I echo her support for the officers and staff working in our C3 facilities.
“I am also grateful to my own officers and staff who continue to serve the city with distinction and professionalism in very trying times.
“My officers and I know that the public will recognise that last year was extraordinary. We met those challenges and delivered excellent results. This year as we return to some welcome normality it is pleasing to see that recorded crime remains below the 5 year average.
“We will continue to effectively target our time and resources to address emerging trends in this post pandemic year.”
Offences of Communicating Indecently with a Child recorded by Police Scotland increase by 80% in last five years
True scale of grooming likely to be higher as Facebook tech failures saw drop in removal of abuse material during pandemic
UK Government Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden urged to strengthen draft Online Safety Bill to ensure it responds to the rising threat
Crimes of communicating a sexual message to a child have risen by 80 per cent in the last five years to an all-time high, Police Scotland figures obtained by the NSPCC reveal.
Offenders are exploiting risky design features on apps popular with children, the child protection charity has warned.
The NSPCC is calling on the UK Government to respond by ensuring the ambition of the Online Safety Bill matches the scale of the biggest ever online child abuse threat.
there were 685 offences of Communicating Indecently with a Child recorded between April 2020 and March 2021
that’s an increase of 80 per cent from 381 in 2015/16
there was also an increase of 5 per cent from 2019/20 – making the number of crimes recorded in the last year a record high
for offences against children under the age of 13, the number of recorded crimes rose by 11 per cent, from 334 to 370, between 2019/20 and 2020/21
A 15-year-old girl told one of our Childline counsellors: “I’ve been chatting with this guy who’s like twice my age. This all started on Instagram but lately our chats have been on WhatsApp.
“He seemed really nice to begin with, but then he started making me do these things to ‘prove my trust to him’, like doing video chats with my chest exposed.”*
The NSPCC believes last year’s figures do not give a full understanding of the impact of the pandemic on children’s safety online.
The charity says tech firms failed to adequately respond to the increased risk children faced during lockdowns because of historic inaction to design their sites safely for young users.
The NSPCC welcomes the recent flurry of safety announcements from companies such as Instagram, Apple and TikTok, but says tech firms are playing catch up in responding to the threat after years of poorly designed sites.
The charity is calling on the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to step up the ambition of the UK Government’s Online Safety Bill to ensure proposals comprehensively tackle an online abuse threat that is greater than ever.
The NSPCC says the Draft Online Safety Bill published in May needs to go much further to keep children safe and ensure it creates a practical response that corresponds to the scale and nature of the child abuse problem.
The Bill is due to be scrutinised by a Joint Committee of MPs and Lords from September, which experts say is a crucial opportunity to ensure legislation provides solutions that comprehensively fix the way platforms are exploited by abusers.
The NSPCC wants to see the Bill strengthened to address how abuse rapidly spreads across platforms and ensure it responds effectively to content that facilitates abuse.
Joanne Smith, NSPCC Scotland policy and public affairs manager, said: “The failings of tech firms are resulting in record numbers of children being groomed and sexually abused online.
“To respond to the size and complexity of the threat, the UK Government must make child protection a priority in legislation and ensure the Online Safety Bill does everything necessary to prevent online abuse.
“Legislation will only be successful if it achieves robust measures to keep children truly safe now and in the future.”
The NSPCC is also urging Facebook to invest in technology to ensure plans for end-to-end encryption will not prevent the tech firm from identifying and disrupting abuse.
The charity says Facebook should proceed only when it can prove child protection tools will not be compromised and wants tougher measures in the Online Safety Bill to hold named-managers personally liable for design choices that put children at risk.
The NSPCC has been calling for Duty of Care regulation of social media since 2017 and has been at the forefront of campaigning for the Online Safety Bill.
