Tag: lothian and borders police

Jewellery theft at Western General

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of two rings worth £10,000 at the Western General Hospital last week.

The incident happened around 3.15pm last Tuesday (23 October). A 33-year-old woman was in one of the bathrooms and took off her wedding ring and eternity ring off to wash her hands. After leaving the bathroom, she realised she’d left her rings inside and when she returned to retrieve them, she found they were gone. Neither item was handed in to security, so the woman has contacted police to report them stolen.

The wedding ring is a platinum band with a single one carat diamond while the eternity ring is platinum with around 24 diamonds around the circumference. The rings (pictured below) have a combined value of around£10,000.

A police spokesman said: “The woman has been left devastated at the loss of her rings and is desperate to have them returned to her as soon as possible. Anyone who comes into possession of the rings is asked to hand them in to their local police station. We would also ask that anyone who can assist with our enquiries into this theft contacts police immediately.”

Anyone with information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Police activity stepped up in Stockbridge

Lothian and Borders Police investigating a sexually motivated assault in the Stockbridge area have carried out a weekend of activity, a week after the attack.

A 23-year-old woman was returning home from a night out in Fredrick Street and had walked onto St Vincent Street when a man grabbed her from behind. The victim was forced to the ground but screamed loudly during the struggle and the suspect made off.

Over the past weekend plain-clothes and uniformed police patrolled the area between 11pm and 4am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.

Officers spoke with members of the public who were returning home or travelling through the New Town and Stockbridge area to establish if they’d been there the previous week and witnessed anything suspicious.

High-visibility reassurance patrols were also deployed throughout Stockbridge to engage with the local community and over 60 questionnaires were issued relating to last week’s assault.

As part of the policing activity, basement areas and secluded spots in and around Stockbridge were searched for anything of evidential value.

The area in and around Cumberland Street was also included during police patrols, as officers continue to investigate whether a similar attack, which took place on Saturday 29 September, is linked to this incident.

Detective Sergeant Lynsey Thomson praised the assistance of the public so far, but urged anyone who can help bring the suspect to justice to come forward.

DS Thomson said: “It’s now been a week since the victim was subjected to this terrifying ordeal and so it seemed appropriate to re-visit the area in the hope of talking to people who may have been there last week.

“Local residents, dog walkers, early morning commuters and taxi drivers were all spoken to during this time to determine whether they were in or around St Vincent Street in the early hours of last Sunday morning and whether they remember seeing or hearing anything suspicious.

“The response from those we spoke to was positive and we will now go through the statements and questionnaires we completed and progress the enquiry from there.

“Our reassurance patrols were undoubtedly a comfort to those who live in and frequent the Stockbridge area and these will continue for as long as is required.

“I would urge anyone who has yet to speak to police, but who may have vital information that can help identify the man responsible for this attack to contact us immediately.”

Anyone with information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Police seek witnesses after Pilton fireworks incidents

Police are appealing for witnesses after a series of incidents involving the reckless discharge of fireworks in the West Pilton area. From Tuesday night into the early hours of Wednesday morning (October 16 and 17), there were a number of incidents reported to police involving a group of youths who were setting off fireworks.

The most serious incident happened just after midnight in West Pilton Drive, where a firework was forced into a garage adjoining a house, causing a fire to break out. The fire service was called to the property to extinguish the blaze, which caused limited damage. No one was injured in the incident.

DC Rachael Robertson from Lothian and Borders Police said: “Thankfully the fire was dealt with swiftly, however there was the potential for far more serious consequences as a result of this reckless criminal act. At present officers are carrying out enquiries in the area, including the use of CCTV, in an attempt to identify the youths responsible. We would appeal to anyone who witnessed any fireworks being set off in the Pilton area overnight to come forward. Anyone else who has any information that can assist us in identifying the youths responsible should also get in touch.”

Anyone with any information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Five charged following East Pilton drugs raid

Police in Edinburgh have seized close to £100,000 worth of drugs following enquiries carried out in relation to drug-related criminality in the Capital.

A total of five men have been arrested and charged in connection with alleged drugs offences following an enquiry that culminated in a raid on a property in East Pilton Farm Avenue yesterday (Wednesday 10 October ), where a large quantity of herbal cannabis was seized. The total estimated value of herbal cannabis seized as part of this enquiry is £37,500, and three men, aged 49, 32, and 43, are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today in connection with yesterday’s seizure.

In a separate enquiry, officers seized amphetamine and cannabis worth an estimated £56,250 following a raid on an address in Lorne Street yesterday. A total of £4,445 in cash was also seized. A 32-year-old man and 30-year-old woman were arrested and charged in connection with alleged drugs offences, and are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow (Friday 12 October).

Detective Inspector John Kavanagh said: “These seizures come as part of our ongoing commitment towards tackling drug-related crime in the Capital. We rely on the public to provide us with information on drug dealers or any other serious and organised criminality taking place in local communities, and I would urge anyone with information to contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.”

Police probe suspicious fire at PEP

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following a suspicious fire in West Pilton Park. The incident happened around 7.45pm on Monday (8 October), when two wheelie bins were pushed up against the wall of the Pilton Equalities Project (PEP) before being set alight.

No damage was sustained to the building and no one was injured during the incident, but police are urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward. Officers carrying out local enquiries to identify those responsible are particularly keen to speak to two youths who were known to be in the area at the time.

A police spokesman said: “This reckless act of vandalism could have potentially injured members of the public or, indeed, the suspects themselves. Anyone who was in or around West Pilton Park and remembers seeing anything suspicious is asked to contact police immediately.”

Anyone with any information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Your Future, Your Police at Broughton High School

Lothian and Borders Police are holding an event in Broughton High School to find out what teenagers want from the police. Around 200 teenagers from a wide range of backgrounds will take part in the ‘Your Future, Your Police’ session at Broughton. Tourrettes sufferer John Davidson, who was the subject of an acclaimed documentary, is guest speaker at the event.

Using workshops and discussion groups, the 15-17-year-olds will be given the chance to give their views on how they think the police should interact with teenagers, and what relevance the new Police Service of Scotland will have to them. This is the fourth in a series of sessions to be held across the Lothian and Borders Force area.

John Davidson, subject of the 1989 QED documentary ‘John’s Not Mad,’ is guest speaker. He will talking about how having severe Tourette’s syndrome led to misunderstandings with the police in his teens, and how this was remedied through open and ongoing communication.

John in 1989

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Allen, said: “The best thing about this type of event is that it allows us to engage with our young people in a positive environment, and gives us the opportunity to listen to what they have to say. We will record their views and opinions of policing in the Lothian and Borders area and use them in shaping the future as we move forward to the Police Service of Scotland.”

 

 

Teenager stabbed in Trinity

A teenager was stabbed as thieves robbed two friends in Trinity last night.

The 16-year-old victims were walking under East Trinity Road, near Bangholm Recreation Grounds at around 9pm when they approached by two men. One of the thieves, described as 18 to 19 years old with a local accent, was carrying a knife and demanded the girl and boy hand over their belongings.

One of the vivtims was stabbed as the thieves made off with a phone and a handbag containing an iPod, purse and other personal belongings.

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Both of the suspects are described as white males, aged between 18 and 19 years old and had Edinburgh accents. One is thought to be about 5’9″ tall and of a slim build with short dark hair. He was wearing a dark or black-coloured hooded top. The other suspect thouoght to be 5’8″ tall, with short blond or fair hair. He was wearing a light-coloured hooded top.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131 or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.

Police tackle drugs misuse in local pubs

Local police are issuing advice to licensees following a recent initiative designed to identify cocaine misuse at pubs. Officers from the Drylaw Safer Neighbourhood Team, working in partnership with the licensed trade, visited 16 premises in the area over recent weekends and found evidence of cocaine use within the toilets of 12 pubs.

Inspector Mark Rennie of Lothian and Borders Police said: “The initiative was well received and licensees and staff were given advice on basic measures they could use to counter the problem.

“Our intention now is to widen the initiative and also do follow-up visits to premises over the next month to provide staff with information, and support them in their efforts to prevent the misuse of drugs within their premises.

“We will also be distributing posters to raise the awareness of customers of the direct health and personal safety risks associated with alcohol and cocaine misuse.”

Anyone with information as to drug dealing in or around licensed premises can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Files on local school pupils stolen

 

An investigation has been launched after the confidential files of 45 school pupils were stolen from an Edinburgh City Council worker’s home earlier this week. The files relate to pupils from Forthview and Granton Primary Schools and Broughton High School, who have had contact with the Education Welfare Service. 

The files were stolen during a burglary on Wednesday, BBC Scotland has revealed.

The council said the files were ‘predominantly’ about school attendance, and a city council spokeswoman added: “We are working closely with the police on this matter but believe that these files weren’t targeted by the thief. We are making contact with all the families this information relates to and have made staff available to them to help with any questions or concerns they may have.”