34 arrests in 14 days as police continue crackdown in North Edinburgh

Operation Soteria, Police Scotland's response to tackle illegal motorcycle activity in Edinburgh has been ongoing in 2017. Picture; Jon Savage

Speaking to the Capital’s Forth One, officers confirmed that 34 arrests have been in just 14 days as police continue a crackdown in the area.

A number of arrests have been due to following up issues raised by the public with the police praising residents in the area for their vigilance.

The arrests related to a number of offences connected to stolen motorbikes such as housebreakings and drug dealing.

And the public has been thanked for their support.

Local area commander Stevie Sutherland told Forth One: “Quite often we feel we’ve been fighting crime with one hand behind our back. the local people have come forward, and it’s been absolutely brilliant.”

The police also appealed for the public to continue with reporting issues to officers so that they could continue to clampdown on offences in the area. Stevie Sutherland said: ‘In the old days, and certainly when I first came here a couple of years ago, there was this ‘no grass culture’.

“We have to get away from that. This is your community in North East Edinburgh.”

Earlier this year, police confirmed they were relaunching Operation Soteria to tackle the theft of motorcycles and associated disorder.