I've been an Edinburgh resident for 40 years but now I live in fear of balaclava gangs hurting someone

The pensioner, who wished to remain anonymous, has lived in Stenhouse for more than 40 years but said that, in the last 10 months, she has noticed youths dressed in black clothing and riding electric bikes causing disruption in the area.

The woman, in her 70s, said she spoke to police earlier in the year and, although officers empathised with her experiences, she was told there was nothing they could do.

The Edinburgh resident said two youths wearing balaclavas nearly hit her as she crossed the road near Saughton Park earlier in the year | Google Maps

She said: “There has been anti-social behaviour in the area in the past, damaging cars and things like that, but I’ve lived here for 41 years now and I’ve never seen anything like these guys with balaclavas on bikes. To me this is something new and I hear other people speaking about it.

“In January I was crossing the road near Saughton Park when the green man was on and all of a sudden these two guys dressed in black with balaclavas came speeding through and nearly hit my granddaughter who was in her buggy.

“They nearly hit me but I was more concerned about my granddaughter who wasn’t even three at the time and I hate to think what would have happened if they hit her. The boys just turned around and started laughing.

“I phoned the police when I got home and told them what had happened and they said that they would look into it. Later in April, I was driving near Stenhouse Cross when two guys on bikes with balaclavas on came spinning round the corner. They blocked the car behind me from going forward and when he tooted at them one of them starting kicking his car door. The driver was shocked.

“And then a few months ago when I was in my car waiting to turn right on to Saughtonhall Drive, another balaclava-clad man on a bike stopped right outside my window. I thought he was going to hit the car or say something to me. When I turned to face him he just stared at me through the window trying to intimidate me. I’m 75 but anybody would have been frightened.”

The resident told the Evening News her neighbours have witnessed similar incidents in the community and described the feeling amongst others as ‘anger and fear’.

She said: “It's just the smug way that they know they're doing wrong but they think it's funny - that really angers me. They are deliberately doing things to provoke people, they are looking for a reaction. Somebody's going to respond one day and something's going to happen.

“I did get a phone call from the police and they said they were sorry that this had happened, but unfortunately they can't do anything.”

Police Scotland told the Evening News that officers are carrying out proactive work to tackle anti-social behaviour across the south west of in Edinburgh. It said this includes general disorder, under-age drinking, the theft of motorbikes and e-bikes and behaviour associated with the use of these vehicles.

Community Sergeant Mark Coull said: “We are aware of the misery that anti-social behaviour causes and we are working to identify hot spots and provide support on the ground" | Police Scotland

A spokesperson said stop and searches are being carried out as well as patrols by uniformed and plain clothes officers and a number of people have been charged with various road traffic offences and reported to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with the use of off-road bikes. 

Community Sergeant Mark Coull said: “We are aware of the misery that anti-social behaviour causes and we are working to identify hot spots and provide support on the ground to the public who are affected.

“We recently started a Coffee with a Cop session at Starbucks at Westfield Road as a direct result of issues with youths in the area. This provides a police presence in the community and members of the public can come along and speak direct to officers. I would urge people to use this facility.”

Community Sergeant Coull added: “I would also urge anyone with concerns about anti-social behaviour to report them to us via 101. We will continue to work with our colleagues in road policing and the police dog unit to tackle this kind of crime. In addition, work is ongoing with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Pentland Rangers.”