Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses after properties within a block of flats were flooded. The incident happened between 8pm and 8.30pm last night in West Pilton’s Northview Court. The main water pipe for the building was accessed and then ruptured, causing the landing of the eighth floor and some of the flats below to flood.
Police attended the incident and Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service were contacted to turn off the water. Anyone with information that can assist officers with their enquiries is now asked to come forward.
A police spokesman said: “This mindless act of destruction has caused significant water damage to the properties below the eighth floor and we are eager to hear from any residents or witnesses who can help us identify those responsible. Anyone who saw any suspicious activity in or around Northview Court yesterday evening 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.
Tag: lothian and borders police
Cycling RULES!
Register it
UV mark it
Lock it
Electronically tag it
Secure it
Cycle theft is a real pain, so Lothian and Borders Police are offering cyclists the opportunity to make things tougher for thieves at two sessions this month. You can get your bike registered and UV marked for £5, or registered, UV marked and electronically tagged for £16 at West End Police Station on 14 February from 12 – 2pm, or at Gayfield Police Station from 12 – 2pm on 23 February. A limited number of bikes will be registered and marked for free, so arrive early to avoid missing out!
Police investigate infants death
Police are continuing to investigate the death of a six week old infant who died at a flat in Ferry Road Avenue in November . Police were called to the flat on Wednesday 23rd November by the Scottish Ambulance Service following the discovery of the infant.
A police spokesman said “Enquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances of the death of a six-week-old infant within an address in the Drylaw area of Edinburgh on Wednesday, November 23. A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.”
Teenager faces trial over rape and murder of OAP
A TEENAGER accused of murdering a 63-year-old woman during a sex attack in Drylaw is to stand trial.
Marie Reid’s body was found at her home in Easter Drylaw Way, on November 15 2010.
Jay Soso, of Home Street, Tollcross, admits having sex with the pensioner but denies rape and murder.
After a brief hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday, judge Lord Turnbull allowed Soso, 19, to remain on bail until his trial in Glasgow on May 29.
Soso is accused of raping Marie Reid and committing other sex acts before inflicting injuries “by means unknown” which led to her death.
He also denies cleaning up in the house in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Other charges, which Soso also denies, allege that he stole a bank card and pre-pay television box, stole cash from ATMs and had cannabis and amphetamine in his possession.
75 year old woman mugged in Drylaw
A seventy-five year old woman has been mugged at the entrance to Ferryhill Primary School on Groathill Road North. The incident happened at about 6pm on Sunday night.
A Police spokseperson said “A seventy-five year old female had her handbag snatched from her with such force it caused her to fall to the ground. As a result of this fall the elderly lady has sustained serious injuries which have resulted in her having to be admitted to Hospital.
Officers of Lothian and Borders Police are appealing to the public to help them identify the male responsible who is described as being in his early twenties, six feet tall with a skinny build, wearing dark clothing and a cream coloured hat.”
Officers were at the scene until about 10.30pm and carried out a thorough search of the area.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Police on 311-3131 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
Thieves want to ride your bicycle so keep it locked up
POLICE have warned residents who received bikes as Christmas presents to invest in good-quality locks to help deter thieves.
Professional gangs are cashing in on the city’s cycling boom, taking bikes from streets, common stairways and sheds.
Pc Janie Harman said: “I would encourage bicycle owners to think about security and to use strong D-locks, never leave their bicycle unattended without securing it and to park in well-lit areas covered by CCTV, if possible.
“I would also ask people to take a few minutes to register their bicycle details on a national register at www.immobilise.com.”
The number of bikes reported stolen in Edinburgh fell four per cent between April 2010 and last March compared with the previous year, from 1706 to 1635.
Last month, figures revealed that only one in ten bikes stolen by thieves in Lothian and Borders is recovered.
Between 2008 and 2010, 6047 bikes were reported as stolen in the area with just 627 being recovered.
Wig thief hunted by Police
A THIEF who assaulted a woman on New Year’s Day made off with her bag – and her novelty wig.
The 22-year-old woman was walking home from Hogmanay celebrations in the capital on Sunday morning when she was assaulted by the New Year’s reveller.
The incident happened at 1am on January 1, when the student was walking opposite theWestern General Hospital.
A man stopped the woman and said “Happy New Year” before snatching her wig and handbag.
The novelty wig fell off and the thief made off with it and her small silver handbag which contained her keys and mobile phone, which he pulled from her shoulder.
A Lothian and Borders police spokesperson said: “This was a particularly distressing incident for the victim who fortunately was not injured. It was a totally unprovoked attack on an innocent young woman who had been heading home after enjoying a night out. She made her way home before contacting us but was obviously very upset by what had happened.
“This is quite a busy area and there would have been a lot of traffic around that time. We would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed this and especially appeal to taxi drivers who may have been in the area and seen the suspect.”
The thief is described as being a white man in his 20’s, and is around 5ft 8 in.
He has short ginger hair and was wearing a white T-shirt and dark coloured trousers at the time of the attack.
He was last seen heading in the direction of Orchard Brae.
Anyone who has information about the attack should contact Lothian and Borders police on 0131 311 3131 or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800555111.
Festive Drink Drive Crackdown
Lothian and Borders Police have arrested 14 drink drivers in West Lothian in the first two weeks of the ACPOS Festive Drink Drive campaign.
This year the vehicle forfeiture scheme has been extended to include those who are more than three times the drink drive limit, and those who refuse to provide a sample at police stations. Of the 14 incidents, nine fit the forfeiture criteria.
Last Monday (December 12) a 55-year-old woman was involved in a crash in Livingston, and admitted drink driving in court the next day, so a warrant was issued for the seizure of her vehicle. In the early hours of Sunday morning (December 18) a driver was found asleep in his vehicle in Bathgate and was charged with alleged drink driving. He was due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday (December 19).
Inspector Simon Bradshaw, Livingston Road Policing Branch said: “It is disappointing that a small minority of drivers still choose to put their own and others lives at risk, by driving whilst under the influence of alcohol. We will continue to do our utmost to detect and arrest drink drivers and bring them before the court and drive the message home that drink driving will not be tolerated.
“As we have already seen during this campaign, where appropriate, drink drivers’ vehicles will be forfeited by the court, thereby removing them from the road. I would urge all drivers to think of the potential consequences and not to get behind the wheel whilst under influence of alcohol or drugs.
“Anyone who suspects that a person may be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can contact the police on 0131 3113131 or by dialing 999 in urgent cases. Alternatively they can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 where the information will be treated in confidence of anonymity.”
Lothian and Borders Police
Pensioners attacked in Davidsons Mains
Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses after a couple were assaulted and robbed in Davidsons Mains over the weekend.
The incident happened around 2.10am on Sunday 18 December. A 71-year-old man and his 68-year-old wife had just left the Maitland Bowling Club in Davidsons Mains and were walking along the High Street when a man approached and grabbed at the woman’s bag.
A struggle ensued and the woman’s bag strap snapped causing her purse to fall out, which was then stolen by the suspect who made off from the area.
The victim’s husband tried to pursue the man and suffered minor facial injuries after being struck to the face.
Police are now urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward.
The suspect is described as white, 20-25-years-old, 6ft 2ins tall with a slim build and wearing a patterned woolen hat with earflaps.
A police spokesman said: “This incident has left both victims incredibly shaken, although neither required treatment in hospital.
“Anyone who was in or around Davidson Mains High Street in the early hours of Sunday morning and witnessed the robbery or can help identify the suspect 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.
Stop dividing our communities, no to closures
This week, Muirhouse and Salvesen Community Council launched their campaign to stop the Council closing paths that lead from Muirhouse into Silverknowes Eastway. The petition was launched following a public meeting organised by the Davidsons Mains Silverknows Association last month where they have requested the Council look to close off these public footpaths.
As well as closing off the footpaths the Council are also looking at installing up to twelve CCTV monitors in private houses, two of which will be linked to the City in View system which will allow the Police to monitor them at a cost of £4,800.00.
The public meeting which took place on 17th November was attended by over two hundred residents from Silverknowes following a spate of vandalisms and an increase in anti social behavior. Natalie Hoy, Neighbourhood Manager for the West of the City, was in attendance along with Ruth Stanley from the North Office, local Politicians and representatives from the Police.
It was agreed that the Closure of the access points from Muirhouse was the “most important consideration in trying to solve these problems” and according to the Davidsons Mains Silverknowes Association website “there was an assurance this would proceed as quickly as possible”
This is a move, which has angered the Muirhouse and Salvesen Community Council and their Chairperson, Roy Douglas said ” We are disgusted to learn that residents of Silverknowes (who are technically part of Forth Ward) want to close public access footpaths. These footpaths are part of Muirhouse and lead into a newish housing complex that is part of Muirhouse and the Forth Ward. No “Berlin Wall” should be allowed to be built between Communities in this day and age. These paths are used by our school children to get to school safely away from busy main roads and are used by people to access local shops and bus routes.”
We are also disgusted to learn what Police resources have been used and how much is being spent in response to the residents of Silverknowes Eastway complaints. According to a Police representative who attended our meeting said reports have been minor incidents, a smashed window, car keying. In other areas of the Forth Ward they happen every other day. We acknowledge that there is a youth issue in parts of Muirhouse but with the involvement of our local professional Youth Agencies which have great success in engaging with local youth in resolving such issues, and we feel that resources should be given to them.
If the Council allow such division in communities where does the Equality and Diversity policies for our city stand? Peter Strong did apologise that our Community Council was not informed but he should hang has head in shame for allowing another Neighbourhood Partnership to become involved in the affairs of the Forth Ward. We are heading up to a local election and councillors of an adjoining ward want to scare monger and get support to the splitting up of communities and get votes for their parties. Leave our Community alone, do not create more problems with a wall of division.
Our Community Council have circulated petitions for residents of Muirhouse to become aware of this and sign. All we all want for Christmas is Peace and Goodwill lets achieve a New Year with Communities living in Harmony not peering over a wall at each other.”
Inspector John Cooper from Lothian and Borders police said “The main issues are youths passing through Silverknowes to congregate in the Davidsons mains area and this has lead to a number of minor vandalism’s such as car windows being smashed and cars being scratched.
At this moment in time we have not been asked to provide any evidence to suggest that closing these paths will resolve the problems currently being experienced. Over the past few months we have had undertaken a variety of tasks to identify these youths and this has included increased patrols in the area as well as the use of the CCTV van which has been located in the are for the past few weeks.”
Natalie Hoy the West Neighbourhood manager said “To be very clear the Council and Police committed to commissioning a Environmental Survey of the area using Safer by Design which is an accredited and recognised tool for assessing environmental factors in a local area, this survey is carried out by colleagues in Lothian and Borders Police.
I must stress that the council have not committed to closing the footpaths, this will be subject to further discussion and will involve communities from both West and North. A cross neighbourhood summit involving senior officials from the police and council, elected members and community representatives will be convened in the next few weeks.
The Council has committed to offering CCTV provision in domestic properties in the area affected and to explore the Silverknowes Community Representative’s idea that he would like to see further cameras purchased, no cameras have been purchased and these discussions have commenced this week.
Significant work is already underway with young people in both the North and West looking at positive engagement and diversion, action will be taken in cases where this is appropriate jointly in partnership with our Police colleagues however we recognise that the vast majority of young people themselves want to live in a safe community. Council and Police work hard to tailor responses to local community issues and this is part of our neighbourhood working on a day to day basis.”
Almond Councillor Kate Mackenzie said “There have been lots of issues in and around the Silverknowes area caused by young people passing through. These issues have been mainly vandalism and local people have had enough of it. I am unaware what, if any, work has done been to engage with the young people that are causing this problem.”
Local Councillor Cammy Day said “I was made aware of the issues in Silverknowes Eastway, and a public meeting held in Almond ward regarding a few incidents that had taken place. Silverknowes Eastway is in the Forth Ward, and I was surprised not be invited to attend.
It’s important that we take this in perspective, and we take appropriate action to respond positively to any acts of vandalism or anti social behaviour.
I would be keen to have our community safety team and youth street work teams engage with the young people involved for a positive resolution.
A meeting of local representatives is to be arranged later this week to agree a course of action.”
What are your views on building fences to separate communities?