Detectives in Edinburgh have released CCTV images of a man they believe may have information that could assist with their ongoing investigations into an assault on a woman.The incident occurred on Portobello High Street towards the junction of Sir Harry Lauder Road, Edinburgh, at around 00.45am on Sunday, 25 July, 2021.
The man officers believe may be able to assist them is described as being around 35 to 40 years old, 5ft 11ins, of average build and short hair. He spoke with a local accent and was wearing jeans and a navy top.
Detective Constable Neil Donaldson, said: “Fortunately this woman was not injured, but she was left extremely upset by what has happened and we are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time of the assault.
“In particular we would like to speak to the man pictured who was in the area at the time and may have further information to assist our enquiry. We would also ask anyone who was driving in the area and might have seen something that could help with our enquiries, or have dash-cam footage, to get in touch.
“If you can help please contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0241 of Sunday, 25 July, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Detectives are continuing enquiries and appealing for information after a serious assault which took place in the Grassmarket area on Sunday (29 August)
Around 5.45am a 25-year-old woman was with friends near to the junction of Cowgatehead and Victoria Street when she was approached by a group of three men and a woman. An altercation took place which resulted in the woman sustaining a broken wrist.
The victim attended the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and was released after treatment.
Detective Constable Gary Lipscombe of Gayfield CID said: “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident and I am appealing to any witnesses to come forward.
“We believe the group involved in the assault made off along King Stables Road and I would urge anyone who may have seen a group of three men and a woman acting suspiciously to please get in touch.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland through 101, quoting incident numer 1129 of Sunday, 29 August, 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.
Here’s the latest Capital Cops column from Chief Superintendent Sean Scott:
The lifting of virtually all coronavirus restrictions now means that most of the features that makes Edinburgh great are starting to re-emerge.
This is in no small way down to the significant sacrifices and efforts you have made over the past 18 months, including getting vaccinated. I would encourage everyone who can, especially the younger generation, who have been a bit slower on the uptake, to get vaccinated.
The city is starting to buzz again, which is so welcome, especially Edinburgh’s world-renowned night time economy.
Our Operation Nightguard deployments have recommenced, with officers patrolling areas around licensed premises and conducting regular checks within to offer reassurance to staff and patrons and deter criminal activity.
We want everyone to be safe and really enjoy themselves so please ensure that, if you are on that long-awaited night out, you drink and behave responsibly and don’t let over-indulgence ruin things.
Other great news is that the Edinburgh Festival is back, albeit on a smaller scale but that still equates to a much busier city centre with hotels starting to fill again.
Consequently, Operation Summer City has commenced, which my officers and staff really enjoy, as it’s an opportunity for them to meet and help people from across the globe in making the most of their visit, representing both the capital and its Police Scotland guardians in the best light possible.
The good news, so far, is that there have been very few issues with the vast majority of those attending Festival events and celebrations doing so in good spirits, while adhering to those remaining COVID precautions.
Our Edinburgh Division social media channels are continuing to provide the public with useful advice and guidance on how to stay safe during the Festival so please ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to receive these updates.
Alternatively, visit www.scotland.police.uk where all of our personal safety and crime prevention advice is readily available 24/7.
Like me, you’ll have been enjoying the sunny weather over the past few weeks and with that, we have seen larger numbers of bicycles and motorcycles back on our roads. I would encourage all road users to be mindful of cyclists and motorcyclists, giving them plenty of space and time when passing or joining traffic.
Similarly, I would also encourage those who ride bikes of any sort to do all you can to stay safe on the road. This includes wearing high-visibility clothing and helmets, travelling at appropriate speeds and obeying all traffic signals and signage.
Unfortunately, the increase in people using this healthier form of travel can lead to an unhealthy increase in bike thefts, if care isn’t taken around security.
To that end, our Prevention, Intervention and Partnerships Department have been holding crime prevention stalls and bike marking events as part of the national Pedal Protect bike security campaign.
Please think seriously about getting your bike marked and contact your local policing team to arrange it – details are on our website at
The summer comes … and then it goes to be replaced by all our autumn and winter responsibilities such as Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year. However, on top of those, it won’t have escaped your attention that the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow between 31 October and 12 November is on the horizon.
Edinburgh will have no small part to play in these globally important proceedings but I can reassure everyone that, with the eyes of the world on Scotland and its police service, careful and detailed planning is underway to ensure that all communities will still receive the quality, responsive service they need and deserve during that time.
As always, I look forward to working closely with partners for the planning phases of all these policing operations.
Stay safe and I hope you all enjoy a great summer with everything that Edinburgh has to offer.
Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh
Police are appealing for witnesses following a two-vehicle crash which happened on Forrest Road last night (Wednesday, 18 August, 2021).
At around 6.50pm, a black Vauxhall Corsa collided with a gold coloured Peugeot 308 which was parked. The driver of the Peugeot, a 26-year-old woman, was exiting the vehicle when it was hit and was taken to hospital for treatment.
The driver of the Corsa, a 23-year-old man, was also taken to hospital for treatment before being charged in connection with the crash.
Officers are eager to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision and has not yet spoken to police. In particular a female doctor, possibly a GP, assisted at the scene prior to police arrival and officers are eager to speak with her as a witness.
Those who saw what happened, or can help with enquiries, should contact Police Scotland via 101 and quote incident number 3098 of 18 August.
