A female was arrested on 28th of January in Edinburgh city centre wanted on multiple warrants for theft shoplifting. Working in conjunction with Essential Edinburgh, CCTV and security officers in the city centre, the female was identified in a busy shopping area and arrested.
It was confirmed that she had committed a further two theft by shoplifting offences that morning. After appearing at court, she was remanded awaiting trial for 22 outstanding charges of theft by shoplifting for high value items.
In recent weeks, the Edinburgh #RetailCrimeTaskforce have arrested 29 persons for theft by shoplifting and charged them with over 350 offences.
We will continue to work in partnership with retailers and the public to target those choose to commit retail crime as it is #NotAVictimlessCrime.
If you have any information relating to retail crime or the resale of stolen property, please report this to the police or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at https://orlo.uk/lZlFY
The government will launch a review into dramatically reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales.
Consolidating the current model will make the police more cost-efficient, giving the taxpayer more value for money, while also ensuring a less fragmented system that will better serve the public and make them safer.
This is a moment to reset policing’s focus and return to its core principles – restoring neighbourhood policing and tackling local crime by delivering a structural overhaul to meet the demands of the modern world.
National Police Service
A new nationwide police force will be established to fight the most complex and serious crimes.
The new National Police Service will attract world-class talent and use state of the art technology to fight complex and serious crimes, lifting the burden on overstretched local forces and allowing them to focus on catching local criminals.
The service will bring the capabilities of the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, regional organised crime units, police helicopters and national roads policing under a single organisation.
As one force, it will be better equipped to share technology, intelligence and resources to stop the growing threat from crime that has become increasingly complex, digital, online and with no respect for constabulary borders.
A national police commissioner will be appointed to lead the force and will serve as the most senior police officer in the country.
It will enable local officers to spend more time supporting victims of crime and delivering neighbourhood policing, rather than navigating the forensics system.
This will give victims confidence as their case will be supported by world‑class specialist expertise, and the latest technology, no matter where they live.
Part of the new National Police Service’s remit will be to take on responsibility for forensics from the 43 local forces with direction set centrally from the new organisation.
Demand for specialist digital forensics means there are 20,000 devices awaiting analysis at any time. The service will deal with these backlogs and help the police keep up with the ever-increasing pace of change in technology.
Frontline policing will save £350 million by scrapping outdated procurement approaches, which will instead be used to fight crime.
Under the current localised model, each of the 43 forces often procure technology, equipment and clothing themselves, meaning 43 different teams undertaking the same work.
The new National Police Service will end this inefficiency, taking on the responsibility for shared services, equipment and IT.
The National Police Service will buy equipment once on behalf of all, saving money through economies of scale and reinvesting the savings back into frontline policing to go after criminals.
Accountability and standards
Ministers will be handed new powers to intervene directly in failing forces, sending in specialist teams to turn them around so they fight crime more effectively.
If crime solving rates or police response times are poor, the Home Secretary will be able to send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, so they catch more criminals.
The Home Secretary will restore the power to sack failing chief constables. New laws will hand ministers statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables if they are poorly performing.
The forces will also be directly accountable to the public, with new targets on 999 response times, victim satisfaction, public trust and confidence. These results will be published and forces graded so communities can compare.
To further reinforce accountability, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire & Rescue Services will gain statutory powers to issue directions when forces fail to act on its recommendations.
Alongside these force-wide measures, the government will also ensure the highest standards from individual officers. To strengthen safeguards and ensure those unfit for policing are kept out of the profession, the government will introduce laws to impose robust, mandatory vetting standards for all police forces, ensuring the public is protected.
These new standards will enable forces to exclude those with a caution or conviction for violence against women and girls offences from policing.
Stronger requirements on forces to suspend officers who are under investigation for these crimes will also be introduced.
Police officers will be required to hold and renew a licence throughout their career so they learn new skills as criminal techniques evolve.
The Licence to Practise will ensure officers are best equipped with problem solving and technological skills they need to catch more criminals.
Drawn from other professions such as lawyers and doctors, officers will have to demonstrate that they have the skills needed to fight crime. Those who fail to reach the required standard, following opportunities to try again, will be removed from the profession.
Neighbourhood policing
Under new reforms, response officers will be expected to reach the scene of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in cities and 20 minutes in rural areas, and forces will be expected to answer 999 phone calls within 10 seconds.
These new targets will ensure that all forces provide the same level of police response to crimes.
Currently, data on response times is collected differently across forces, and police are not held accountable if targets are not met. Reforming the system will create more transparency and consistency across the country.
Where forces fail to deliver, the Home Secretary will send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, including when unmet response‑time targets are part of broader systemic failing.
To fight everyday crime, the government will ramp up its pledge to restore visible neighbourhood policing and patrols in communities through an extension of its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.
This has already placed named, contactable officers in each neighbourhood. Under the extension, every council ward in England and Wales will have its own named, contactable officers, creating more local points of contact and giving officers a deeper understanding of the issues in their area.
Police forces will also recruit the brightest and best from universities in a new recruitment drive to cut crime and catch more criminals.
Modelled on Teach First, the government is investing up to £7 million to attract top students from universities into specially trained graduate neighbourhood police officer roles in England and Wales.
Retailers across the country will see a major crackdown on organised crime gangs thanks to £7 million in new government investment aimed at dismantling criminal networks from the ground up.
This funding will supercharge intelligence-led policing to identify offenders, disrupt the tactics used to target shops, and bring more criminals to justice.
Technology
The government is making the largest investment into state-of-the-art police technology in history, with over £140 million to be invested to roll out technologies to catch more criminals and keep our communities safe
The number of live facial recognition vans will increase five-fold, with 50 vans available to every police force in England and Wales to catch violent and sexual offenders.
The government will also roll out new artificial intelligence (AI) tools which will help forces identify suspects from CCTV, doorbell and mobile phone footage that has been submitted as evidence by the public.
A new national centre on AI – Police.AI – will be set up to roll out AI to all forces to free officers from paperwork, delivering up to 6 million hours back to the frontline every year – the equivalent of 3,000 police officers. This means more police on the streets fighting crime and catching criminals.
More tech specialists will work in police forces to outsmart modern criminals and put more fraudsters and organised crime bosses behind bars.
The move will enable police forces to uncover more vital hidden evidence on phones and laptops to secure more convictions of professional criminals and keep people safer from crimes such as child sexual abuse.
Public order
A new senior policing role will be introduced to lead the police’s nationwide response to public disorder, and galvanise and co-ordinate responses to major incidents.
The senior national co-ordinator role for public order policing will sit within the new National Police Service. They will not be responsible for local public order responses, which remain within the remit of chief constables, and instead sit at a higher strategic level of oversight, with responsibility for decision-making over the most significant national public disorder, such as the widespread disorder seen in the summer of 2024 and the riots that started in London in 2011.
While local policing responses will stay the responsibility of chief constables, the new role will provide national oversight and decision-making on mobilisation and resourcing, with enhanced powers to:
direct resources under mutual aid arrangements and require forces to contribute during major disorder
ensure mandatory data sharing between forces
set a national strategy for public order policing
monitor and implement relevant recommendations from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
Officer wellbeing
The government will expand the roll out of the dedicated Mental Health Crisis Line so all officers and staff can access mental health support, and have committed to its funding long term.
Officers and staff in front-facing and high-risk roles will also be offered psychological risk screenings each year so officers suffering can be signposted to the best support when they need it most.
Trauma tracker software will be made available to every force and ensure senior leaders can identify and support staff at the highest risk and intervene at an earlier stage.
Mandatory training around resilience and mental health for new recruits and supervisors will be introduced and treated as protected learning time.
Special constables
Experts in cybersecurity and technology are being encouraged to join the Special Constabulary, as police forces across England and Wales ramp up their efforts to tackle modern crime.
Since 2012, the number of special constables in England and Wales has fallen year-on-year to just 5,534 as of March 2025. This is down 73% from 20,343 in 2012.
To reverse this decline, the Home Office will work with policing to streamline the recruitment process for Specials, making it easier for people to volunteer, while maintaining consistent high standards of vetting and training. Steps will also be taken to ensure existing Specials are incentivised to remain in the role, by better integrating them into the wider police force.
A 24-year-old man has been convicted of wilful fireraising in Edinburgh.
Logan Carlin pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh today, Tuesday, 23 December, 2025.
The incidents took place on Thursday, 6 March, 2025 and Sunday, 16 March, 2025 in Albert Street and Milton Road East.
Carlin was arrested and charged in connection with wilful fireraising and reset of a stolen vehicle.
He is due to be sentenced at a later date.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “While this was established as a targeted attack, we understand that it was a concerning incident for the local community.
“I want to make it clear to those intent on being involved in serious criminality that we will not give up and you will be brought to justice.
“This conviction is testament to the hard work and dedication by detectives, specialist officers and partners across the country and highlights our commitment 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 27-year-old man has been sentenced to eight years and four months in prison following a violent offence and discharge of a firearm in Edinburgh.
Arran Reid pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh today, Tuesday, 9 December, 2025 to assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to danger of life.
Officers were made aware of the attempted murder of a 54-year-old man on Pitcairn Grove in Edinburgh around 9.20pm on Thursday, 22 May.
Reid was arrested and charged in connection with the incident on Monday, 16 June.
On Friday, 13 June, officers were made aware of a window having been damaged at a property on Walter Scott Avenue.
Following enquiries, it was established that the damage had been caused by the discharge of a firearm.
Reid was also charged in connection with this incident on Tuesday, 15 July.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “I want to make it clear to those intent on being involved in serious criminality that we will not give up and you will be brought to justice.
“This conviction is testament to the hard work and dedication by detectives, specialist officers and partners across the country.
“It also highlights Police Scotland’s commitment 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 25-year-old man has been sentenced to six years and nine months in prison following the recovery of a firearm in Edinburgh.
Liam McDermid plead guilty to a serious organised crime offence at the High Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday, 22 October, 2025.
The firearm was recovered from the Roseburn Path area of Edinburgh by officers investigating Operation Portaledge on Wednesday, 11 June 2025.
He was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh today, Thursday, 20 November.
Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry, Specialist Crime Division, said: “Liam McDermid is now facing the consequences of his actions.
“I hope this sentence sends a message to those involved in serious criminality that we remain determined to bring you to justice.
“The recovery of the firearm formed part of a long and incredibly complex investigation, which remains ongoing, and involves a range of specialist officers working closely with our partners.
“This case also highlights Police Scotland’s continued commitment 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.
Thousands of premises have been targeted in the second iteration of Operation Machinize, a national initiative targeting the criminal exploitation of high street businesses.
Operation Machinize 2, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and conducted in cooperation with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), ran throughout October and involved every UK police force and Regional Organised Crime Unit, Home Office Immigration Enforcement, Trading Standards, HM Revenue & Customs and Companies House.
During the operation, the partnership delivered:
2734 premises visited and raided
924 individuals arrested
Over £10.7m of suspected criminal proceeds seized
Over £2.7m worth of illicit commodities destroyed
These figures include the removal of 70Kg of cannabis from our streets, 111,000 harmful, illegal vapes, 4.5m illegal cigarettes and 622Kg of illegal tobacco (equalling £3.5m of duty taxes evaded). Furthermore, 341 Referral Notices for illegal working and renting were issued meaning businesses could face fines of up to £60,000 per worker with landlords facing fines of up to £20,000 per tenant if found liable, and over 450 companies have been referred to Companies House for further investigation.
This is the largest operation of its kind focused on rooting out the economic crime and grey economy that makes our high streets less safe and prosperous.
The NCA estimates that at least £12bn of criminal cash is generated in the UK each year, which is typically smuggled out of the country or integrated into financial systems, often to be recycled back into criminality.
High street businesses such as mini-marts, barbershops, vape shops, nail bars, and car washes are used to make the proceeds of crime appear like the legitimate profits of a trade or service. High street businesses are also being used to sell illicit products and evade tax, and are often linked to other types of criminality such as drugs supply and the serious violence it causes.
Earlier this year, the NCA established Operation Machinize after identifying the criminal exploitation of high street businesses was beyond the scope of any one organisation. Working in partnership with the NPCC, it aims to catalyse a large-scale operational response to a multi-faceted problem.
This approach – coordinated nationally and delivered in our communities – ensures the most effective use of powers and capabilities, capitalising on the strengths and remits of each participating agency.
Machinize was established to target economic crime on the high street with this iteration also focusing on the grey economy. There is a known overlap with the exploitation of high street businesses, illegal working and the evasion of customs and excise duties. This overlap also includes modern slavery and unsuitable living and working conditions, and safeguarding individuals at risk is remains a priority for the partnership.
Rachael Herbert, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre at the NCA, said:“Operation Machinize targets businesses on our high street that are being used as cover for a wide range of criminality, making our communities less safe and less prosperous.
“This second phase of Operation Machinize has set a new standard for what can be achieved through the coordinated action of UK law enforcement. Thousands of officers have been deployed up and down our country, targeting criminal profits and the means of generating them.
“Hundreds of thousands of harmful and illegal products have been taken off our streets, and over £10m in cash, frozen in bank accounts and criminal assets seized.
“Depriving criminals of their source of income has a real impact, limiting the amount of funds they can reinvest in further offending and deterring them from taking spaces on our high street that could be used by legitimate businesses.
“These excellent results demonstrate what can be achieved in partnership and show the determination of UK law enforcement to keep our communities safe. We ask for the public’s support as we move forward and to continue to report suspected criminality to the police.”
Sal Melki, Senior Lead for Machinize 2 at the NCA, said:“Machinize 2 has pioneered a whole-system approach to addressing this problem, with the NCA hosting a joint operational cell where our partners could bring their powers, expertise, and energy to tackling an issue the British public care about.
“Over the course of the month, we have learnt a lot about the threat, the different types of offending occurring on our high street and what tactics are effective in combatting it. We have also learnt that this type of offending is not restricted to any one area, type of shop or demographic.
“The scale of this challenge is significant, but it is also important to remember that the majority of shops on our high streets are not considered suspicious.
“While there is organised crime occurring at the top of the pyramid, we do not underestimate the aggregated effect that thousands of shops engaged in so-called lower level criminality is having on our communities and the criminal supply chains that profit from them. The Machinize model therefore relies on local knowledge and delivery just as much as national coordination and intelligence.
“This phase of the operation has been a big success and is one of the largest operations of its kind. We acknowledge the problem won’t be solved overnight or through disruptive action alone – today’s high street is subject to many socio-economic factors beyond the scope of a law enforcement partnership.
“We are therefore working closely with government to use the learning from this operation to build on and develop long-term solutions.”
Security Minster, Dan Jarvis said:“Criminals are using these dodgy shops as fronts for serious organised crime, money laundering and illegal working, risking the future of the British high street.
“We have intensified our joint efforts with law enforcement to dismantle criminal networks and relentlessly pursue those who use dirty money for personal gain.
“Together we have seized millions in criminal assets, removed harmful drugs from our streets and arrested hundreds of criminals who are undercutting honest business owners. I want to thank every officer who took part in this operation.”
Deputy Commissioner Nik Adams, NPCC Lead Financial Investigation:“This action has seen a huge collective effort from UK law enforcement agencies, working together to tackle organised gangs who exploit cash intensive businesses for criminal gain.
“We’ve seen every force in England and Wales working to build intelligence pictures, ensuring we are targeting people who are laundering illicit cash through businesses. We know this money will have links with other forms of criminality such as the exploitation of workers, people trafficking and the sale of illicit goods.
“Not only are we tackling this activity but through this action, we are gaining information and forming a wider picture on high harm offending. Our message is clear, we are alive to the activity happening and we are identifying and bringing to justice those who misuse businesses on our high streets for illegal gain.”
Kevin Hubbard, Director of Individual and Small Business Compliance at HM Revenue and Customs, said:“We are determined to allow honest businesses to thrive which is why it’s crucial we work closely with our law enforcement partners to take action against any business that we suspect are undermining the tax system.
“The majority pay the tax that is due, but we will pursue those who refuse to play by the rules.”
A further five people have been arrested and charged over recent months in connection with Operation Portaledge, bringing the total number to 62.
Officers executed a warrant at a property on Margaret Thomson Crescent in Leith on Monday, 1 September, 2025. A firearm, as well as a quantity of drugs, were seized.
A 19-year-old woman was arrested and charged in connection and appeared on undertaking at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, 2 October. A 43-year-old man was also arrested and charged in connection and appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 20 October.
On Thursday, 4 September, a 55-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with a serious assault which happened on Pitcairn Grove in Edinburgh’s Greenbank area on Thursday, 22 May. He is due to appear in court at a later date.
Officers arrested and charged two men, aged 40 and 39, on Tuesday, 28 October, in connection with a theft by housebreaking which occurred at a property on Mortonhall Park Place on Tuesday, 18 March.
Both men appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday, 29 October.
Six men convicted of serious and organised crime incidents in Edinburgh and Midlothian have been jailed.
Michael Heeps, Lee Ridgway, John Murray, Dale Bauld, Damien Mullen and Ryan McGovern, were previously convicted of numerous offences including attempted murder, wilful fire-raising and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
At the High Court in Glasgow, today – Friday, 15 August, 2025, Heeps was jailed for 23 years, Ridgeway for 22 years, Murray (pictured left) for 17 years, Bauld (pictured centre) for 17 years, Mullen for 14 Years and McGovern (pictured right) for eight years.
Detective Superintendent Paul Grainger said: “The use of violence is always completely unacceptable.
“Although these were all targeted attacks, those involved showed absolutely no regard for the communities affected.
“These incidents could have had much more serious consequences and this behaviour will not be tolerated.
“These sentences show Police Scotland’s commitment to the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce’s national strategy.
“I want to make it clear to those intent on being involved in serious and organised crime that we will not give up and you will be brought to justice.
“I would again like to thank officers who worked on this investigation, as well as our partners in forensic services and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal services, for their work. I would also like to thank the public for their support throughout the investigation.”
A 38-year-old man has been arrested in connection with Operation Portaledge, bringing the total number of arrests to 55.
Yesterday – Friday, 18 July, 2025 – officers arrested and charged the man in connection with wilful fire-raising and firearms offences. He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 21 July.
A 26-year-old man has been charged in connection with damage at a property on Walter Scott Avenue in Edinburgh on Thursday, 12 June, and a wilful fire-raising at a property on Jackson Way in Tranent on Friday, 13 June. He will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
Another 26-year-old man was also charged in connection with two vehicle fires in Port Seton, which occurred on Sunday, 18 May.
The Prime Minister and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to take forward a groundbreaking partnership to address illegal Channel crossings and dismantle the people smuggling networks.
A new pilot scheme will see small boat arrivals being returned to France then an equal number of migrants will be able to come to the UK from France through a new legal route – fully documented and subject to strict security checks.
The pilot agreement is intended to prevent illegal migrant journeys across Europe to the UK and prevent dangerous small boat crossings, helping to undermine the business model of organised gangs profiting from people’s misery by showing others these journeys could result in them being returned back to France – ultimately saving lives.
Both countries are working to implement the pilot in the coming weeks, and, once in force, migrants who cross the Channel by small boat can be detained and removed.
The Prime Minister has made it a priority to reset relationships across Europe and the government is now unlocking, for the first time, the levels of co-operation needed to deliver new and bold approaches to tackle organised immigration crime.
The French government are working to implement new ways of cracking down on small boats, including a review of their maritime tactics so their operational teams can intervene on the water, ensuring taxi boats that pickup migrants waiting in the water can be stopped.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This ground-breaking deal is a crucial further step in turning the tide on illegal small boat crossings and restoring order to our immigration system.
“For the first time illegal migrants will be sent back to France – targeting the heart of these gangs’ business model and sending a clear message that these life-threatening journeys are pointless.
“By resetting our relationships across Europe we’ve made levels of co-operation possible never seen before. This is about grip not gimmicks, and what serious government looks like – taking down these criminal enterprises piece by piece as we secure our borders through my Plan for Change.”
The Home Secretary hosted her French counterpart, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, in Downing Street yesterday. The ministers discussed the work being done both internationally and domestically to prevent illegal migration, including issues like clamping down on illegal working and increasing removals of those with no right to be here.
Since the government came into power, Immigration Enforcement have increased illegal working activity by 51%, with 10,031 visits leading to 7,130 arrests, and will soon undertake a major nationwide blitz targeting illegal working hotspots, focusing on the gig economy and migrants working as delivery riders.
The UK will go further by changing the law to support a clampdown on illegal working in the gig economy. New biometric kits will be rolled out for Immigration Enforcement teams so they can do on-the-spot checks.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Dangerous small boats in our Channel undermine our border security and put lives at risk.
“That is why we are so determined to work with France to go after the criminal smuggler gangs, to undermine their business model, to begin returns and to prevent boat crossings.
“This new pilot agreement with France is extremely important and allows us for the first time to return people who have paid to travel here illegally, and will sit alongside our wider joint enforcement action, including disrupting supply chains to seize boats and engines, shutting down social media accounts, and targeting finances.
“Since last summer, we have returned over 30,000 people with no right to be in the UK and a major surge in immigration enforcement activity, with a 51% increase in the number of illegal working arrests.
“We are building the foundations of a new and stronger approach to protecting our border security.”
Under the new UK-France pilot, any asylum claim submitted by a migrant who has crossed the Channel will be considered for inadmissibility and, if declared inadmissible, the Home Office will organise readmission of the individual to France.
For those coming to the UK legally, an individual in France will submit an Expression of Interest application to the new route and the Home Office will make a decision once they have undergone biometric checks. Anyone who had arrived by small boat and returned to France will not be eligible for the legal route to the UK.
The innovative approach will be tested first before being gradually ‘ramped up’.
