Birthday lost its buzz after crooks stole our gadgets

A ROBBERY victim had his birthday ruined after thieves looted his home for around £2000 of electrical equipment.

Andy Dalrymple, 38, had been celebrating his big day with friends at the Meadows only to return to find his Easter Road flat had been raided in broad daylight.

It is thought the brazen crooks may have been keeping watch on the flat before choosing an opportune time to strike.

The clothing store worker, who runs techno nights at Studio 24, said this was the third time he had been burgled since living in Edinburgh but was thankful more belongings had not been stolen.

“I have been robbed twice before so I’m getting kind of used to it by now,” he said.

“Of course it was still a bit of a shock to get back to the house and find the place robbed and my girlfriend is quite distraught about it because she had some pictures on a laptop that she cannot replace.

“It happened on Wednesday, which was my birthday. We got back from the Meadows at around 7pm after leaving the house six hours earlier to find both flat-screen TVs had been stolen as well as laptops and mobile phones.”

Andy said CID officers were convinced that the robbery had been premeditated because no fingerprints were found and the raiders seemed to have pored over every inch of the flat.

They are thought to have gained entry through a back window which had been forced open.

“They had time to go through all the drawers of the flat, including those in my bedroom, so they took their time over it,” he said.

“Luckily it’s not as bad as the last time when I was living in Muirhouse and was completely cleaned out.

“That time, they took everything, even my furniture and all I was left with was a drawer from a chest of drawers and a broken window.

Asked if being robbed on his birthday compounded the trauma, Andy said: “I’m all right with it. I have been robbed a couple of times before but of course this happened on my birthday, but I’m telling myself it’s just an unfortunate coincidence.”

A police spokesman said: “We are appealing for witnesses following a break-in at a property in Easter Road sometime between 1.15pm and 7pm on Wednesday.

“A number of items, including a TV and games console, were stolen, so we would be keen to hear from anyone who may have seen someone acting suspiciously, or carrying these kind of goods, yesterday afternoon or early evening.”

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