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.
Police are appealing for information after a number of gunshots were fired at a house in a targeted attack in Burdiehouse on Friday (20 August).
At around 8.40 pm on Friday night, shots were fired at a house in Burdiehouse Drive. Edinburgh. The occupants, a man, woman and two young children, were not injured. A window in the house was damaged.
Detective Inspector Bob Campbell, Gayfield CID, said: “Whilst this may be a targeted attack, the fact is that a number of shots were fired indiscriminately at the house with some ricocheting off the wall and into the garden. Children were playing in gardens nearby and there were people in the street at the time.
“Thankfully no one was injured but the gunman obviously has no regard for anyone in the area, including children, some of whom were really terrified by what happened.
“It is imperative that we find those responsible and for that we need the help of the local community.
“I know that people may be reluctant to come forward and so I would encourage the use of Crimestoppers where information can be given anonymously.
“Officers have been in the area since the attack checking CCTV and speaking to local residents.
“From our enquiries so far we believe that there was a small black hatchback car in the area at the time and it was seen to drive off towards Southhouse Broadway.
“I am keen to hear from anyone who has private CCTV or doorbell camera footage, or from motorists driving on Burdiehouse Drive or the surrounding roads between 8.30 pm and 8.50 pm. Their footage could prove very useful to our enquiry.
“High visibility officers remain at the scene. We have an incident van on Burdiehouse Drive where people can speak to officers with regard to any concerns or provide information. Officers will also be in the local community centre offering support.”
Local community inspector Kieran Dougal said: “We recognise and understand the impact this incident will have had on the residents of Burdiehouse.
“Thankfully firearm incidents like this are rare in Edinburgh and I would stress that the city remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Information can be passed to police via 101 quoting reference number 3555 of Friday, 20 August, 2021 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
New plans to crack down on puppy smuggling and ban the import of dogs with cropped ears or docked tails have been set out by the UK Government today.
The new powers, which also include raising the minimum age for importing a puppy from 15 weeks to six months and banning the import of heavily pregnant dogs to help protect puppy and mother welfare, are aimed at safeguarding the welfare of the thousands of puppies and dogs that come into Great Britain from overseas each year.
More than 66,000 dogs were commercially imported into the UK last year according to Animal and Plant Health Agency figures. However, evidence shows a recent rise in low-welfare imports and smuggling activity, with border authorities seeing around a 260% increase in the number of young puppies being intercepted for not meeting the UK’s pet import rules – from 324 in 2019 to 843 in 2020.
The proposals are part of a raft of measures included in an eight-week GB-wide consultation which seeks views from the public and stakeholders on government proposals to tackle puppy smuggling and low-welfare imports by unscrupulous breeders and traders.
In addition, the consultation asks the public and stakeholders for views on new penalties for breaching these rules, changes to the detention and rehoming process and whether the proposals should be extended to cover cats and ferrets.
Launching the consultation, Animal Welfare Minister Lord Zac Goldsmith said: “Puppy smuggling is a grim trade, and we are determined to clamp down on it.
“Raising the minimum import age for puppies will help protect thousands of animals that are brought into the country each year and stop criminals looking to profit from the rise in demand for pets.
“We already have one of the toughest pet travel border checking regimes in the world and as an independent nation outside the EU we are going even further by preventing anyone from bringing in dogs which have undergone inhumane procedures such as ear cropping or tail docking.
“These new measures build on our plans to raise animal welfare standards across the board as part of our Action Plan for Animal Welfare.”
RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “In recent years we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of dogs being commercially imported into the UK as well as the number of dogs being reported for having undergone mutilated procedures such as cropped ears.
“These are major dog welfare issues that need addressing as a matter of urgency in order to protect dogs from unnecessary suffering and to protect the public from falling victim to criminals who are trying to cash in on these dogs’ value.
“We’re really pleased that the Government – which pledged to tackle these issues among many others in its Action Plan for Animal Welfare – is launching this consultation and we hope that these new measures will be implemented efficiently so that we can crackdown on the illegal dog trade once and for all.
Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust said: “We are delighted that today’s consultation could bring us one step closer to ending the abhorrent puppy smuggling trade.
!Over the last six years, Dogs Trust has spearheaded the campaign to crack down on puppy smuggling, after our first undercover investigation in 2014 exposed widespread abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme by unscrupulous dealers, bringing in puppies for sale.
“Since setting up our Puppy Pilot in 2015 we have cared for more than 2000 puppies which were seized at UK borders, often in horrendous conditions. We have seen puppies as young as 4 weeks old being smuggled into the country and dogs with open wounds from ear cropping as well as heavily pregnant dogs close to giving birth.
“We are pleased that the consultation has set out proposals to tackle these issues and hope it results in tougher penalties for these crimes, as currently only a handful of cases have ever been prosecuted and the existing penalties are sadly no deterrent.
“We will continue to work closely with the Government to be the voice for dogs and put forward our recommendations to ensure the proposed legislation effects real change.”
Media vet, animal welfare campaigner, and founder of the Lucy’s Law and #BanPuppyImports campaigns, Dr Marc Abraham OBE says: “This important Government consultation is hugely welcome and will hopefully bring us another step closer to ending widespread cruelty to puppies and their parents.
“For decades, both the legal and illegal importation of young puppies has enabled and encouraged low-welfare breeding practices and dog exploitation across Europe, with puppies often separated from their mothers too early, then sent long distances often riddled with all kinds of disease, straight to their unsuspecting new owners in the UK.
“By introducing these positive dog welfare proposals we can make significant progress in the fight against these cruel practices. I would like to thank the UK Government for listening to the evidence presented by campaigners and hope we can secure these positive changes needed to protect the puppies, their parents, and the British dog-owning public.”
Puppies that are imported too young face a significantly higher risk of developing illnesses or even death.
Raising the minimum age for bringing puppies in to the UK will therefore ensure that they are not separated from their mothers too early and will allow them to develop further ahead of being taken on potentially long and stressful journeys which can have a lasting impact on their temperament and behaviour.
The RSPCA has also recently reported a 620% rise in reports of dogs found to have had their ears cropped, covering from 2015 to 2020.
Ear cropping is a painful process where a dog’s outer ears are surgically altered or removed altogether to make them look more aggressive. The surgical procedure, which has been illegal in this country since 2006, can hinder their ability to communicate with other dogs and their owners.
The majority of these dogs are suspected to have undergone the procedure overseas and under the new rules set out in the consultation launched today they would be banned from entering the country.
Last year the Dogs Trust warned the public about the risk of buying dogs online after rescuing dozens of puppies that were illegally imported into the country.
Victims of this cruel trade included a group of six underage puppies seized at Dover port after being found covered in sticky oil and suffering from diarrhoea (above). The puppies had been illegally imported from Romania and were travelling in the back of a van for more than 24 hours. They had to be shaved to remove the oil from their fur.
In September 2020, four beagle puppies were also found in the back of an abandoned vehicle in Greater London. At eight weeks old, they weighed just two kilograms each and were very hungry and dehydrated.
They are believed to have been illegally imported from the Republic of Ireland, to be sold onto prospective buyers in the UK. After spending three weeks in the care of the Dogs Trust, they went on to loving new homes.
The IFB is warning new drivers to watch out for a rising scam known as ‘Ghost Broking’ which involves bogus car insurance deals being sold on social media, as it could cost them their first car.
The warning comes as hundreds of thousands of learners get set to pass their driving tests as they catch up from the disruption caused by Covid-19.
The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) also provides comment.
Statistics and campaign content can be found in the notes to newsroom.
The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) is urging new drivers to watch out for bogus car insurance deals being promoted on social media, as hundreds of thousands of learners* get set to pass their tests following a year of disruption caused by Covid-19.
Fake car insurance sales known as ‘Ghost Broking’ is a growing scam which involves fraudsters pretending to be Insurance Brokers in order to sell unrealistically cheap and completely fake policies, often to younger drivers via Facebook and Instagram.
With a large influx of new drivers on the horizon following confirmation from the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) that driving test centres face an unprecedented challenge to reduce waiting times left by the pandemic, the IFB is warning new motorists to be vigilant to bogus car insurance deals on social media as it could cost them their first car.
Stephen Dalton, Head of Intelligence and Investigations at the IFB, said: “The last thing new drivers need right now is to risk losing their car for no insurance because they’ve been duped by a scammer on social media.
“Drivers must carry out basic checks to make sure they’re buying car insurance through a trusted provider, or they’ll be making a very expensive mistake.
“I encourage anyone who’s seen evidence of an insurance scam to report it to the IFB’s confidential Cheatline online or on 0800 422 0421.”
Mark Magee, Head of Driver Policy at the DVSA, said: “DVSA’s priority is to help everyone through a lifetime of safe driving.
“As well as ensuring you have the skills, knowledge and understanding attitude to drive safely, having valid insurance is of the utmost importance when you drive on your own.
“Check to make sure insurance brokers are genuine before parting with your money.”
Learner drivers in a driving school are typically covered by their instructor’s insurance policy, until they pass their test and need to take out motor insurance for their first car. With a rush of new drivers approaching and with so many people facing financial hardship, the IFB is concerned it will provide fertile ground for ‘Ghost Broker’ scammers.
Fraudsters often tempt younger people with their bogus car insurance deals by promoting unrealistically cheap prices up front, despite the fact insurance is meant to be priced based on the risk of the individual. They often then encourage contact with them through popular end-to-end encrypted messaging software such as WhatsApp.
The IFB which is a not-for-profit organisation that works with the police to crackdown on organised insurance scams has seen its investigations into ‘Ghost Broking’ double since 2016, and the scam has remained prevalent throughout the pandemic.
IFB investigations have found cash-strapped young drivers forking out hundreds of pounds for car insurance that in reality is worth no more than a photoshopped piece of paper. In some cases scammers also use stolen personal information to take out policies which are then doctored before being sold on to customers.
Driving without valid insurance is easily detected by police. Uninsured drivers can have their vehicle instantly seized and are likely to receive six licence points. They can also face court where they might receive an unlimited fine and a driving ban. Furthermore, an uninsured driving conviction will show on records and can affect job prospects.
If a collision is caused by the uninsured driver they may also be liable for covering the costs which can run into the thousands.
Avoiding fake car insurance deals
New drivers are urged to avoid deals on social media or messaging apps and to only purchase car insurance through reputable sellers.
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a food charity’s delivery van was stolen in Leith.
The white Ford Transit van, one of two main delivery vehicles belonging to social enterprise Edinburgh Community Food, was taken sometime between 1.30pm on Monday, 9 August, and 6am on Tuesday, 10 August, when it was parked on Tennant Street.
The van, registration number SH12 XVO, is distinctive with a large strawberry logo on the sides and rear with the words – edinburgh community food – clearly written on it. (van pictured below is not the stolen vehicle but shows the logo)
Sergeant Elaine McArthur Kerr, of Leith police station, said: “Edinburgh Community Food relies on its vans to deliver to people and businesses in the city and this theft is a shameful act given that it obviously belongs to a charity.
“Edinburgh Community Food delivers fresh fruit and vegetables to people on low incomes and sells it to staff, patients and visitors in city hospitals. This theft has left them seriously inconvenienced and having to hire a replacement.
“Our enquiries are ongoing to trace the van and we are appealing to anyone who may have seen it since it went missing to get in touch. If you can assist please contact us on 101, quoting incident 0689 of Tuesday, 8 August, 2021, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Edinburgh Community Food CEO Brenda Black, said: “We need the van to deliver essential fresh food supplies to isolated people throughout Edinburgh.
“We spent the pandemic making sure the most vulnerable people in Edinburgh got food and essentials to keep them going through the worst of times.
“We continue to deliver food to families, communities and other organisations who really need them but this theft has halved our capacity.”
Let’s hope this vehicle is returned to it’s owners without delay.
UPDATE: VAN FOUND – THURSDAY 12 AUGUST
Officers in Edinburgh can confirm that a food charity’s delivery van which was stolen in the Leith area of the city has been recovered.
The white Ford Transit van, one of two main delivery vehicles belonging to social enterprise Edinburgh Community Food, has been traced to the Newhaven area and enquiries are ongoing to find out how it got there.
Sergeant Elaine McArthur Kerr, of Leith police station, said: “Fortunately the van has been traced as a direct result of our appeal and I would like to thank everyone who responded to it.
“However, enquiries are ongoing to find out how it got there and we continue to appeal for information. I would ask anyone who saw the white Ford Transit with its distinctive large strawberry logo between 1.30pm on Monday, 9 August, and noon on Thursday, 12 August, to get in touch.
“If you can assist please contact us on 101, quoting incident 0689 of Tuesday, 8 August, 2021, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
