Edinburgh crime: Smash-and-grab thieves target shops in 'lawless' Royal Mile

The thefts - which include items like Harris tweed bags and expensive cashmere - happen both during the day and at night, the BBC reported. Staff have been attacked and left feeling intimidated and unsafe. Police said a dedicated team was working with businesses in the area and investigated every report.

Shops in the Royal Mile are being targeted by organised gangs of thieves, shopkeepers claim. Picture: Lisa Ferguson.

The BBC posted video footage of several thefts, including a man kicking in a plate glass window and helping himself to a pile of Harris Tweed bags, costing up to £150 each and others walking out of shops with expensive cashmere scarves, jumpers and jackets in broad daylight.

Galab Singh Gold, who owns several shops in and around the Royal Mile, told the BBC that on some occasions thieves had gone into shops during the day and looked at staff "dead in the eye" while picking up piles of cashmere and other expensive items.

One staff member has been punched in the face while others have been knocked to the floor. 

He said: "We have lost several good members of staff because they feel threatened and unsafe at work now. We have had staff threatened at work saying 'I know which bus you catch on the way home and I'm going to be waiting for you'.

"We are sick of calling the police and making reports and downloading CCTV and then nothing happens. The police say they don't have the resources to tackle something like this but it's not just petty crime any more - this is organised theft.

"It's shocking that it's allowed to take place on the most prestigious street in the country.

"The city centre has become lawless and this is where they are getting the brazenness because they know that the systems we have in place with the policing and the control of crime has failed."

Chief Inspector Mark Hamilton, of Police Scotland, told the BBC the force was "fully aware" of ongoing issues with thefts in the area, there was a dedicated team working with businesses and that police carried out regular patrols.

He said: "I can assure everyone that we are investigating all incidents reported to us.  We work closely with the retail and business sectors to deter, prevent and investigate retail crime.

"Where we identify businesses which are being targeted by shoplifters, we have trained officers who can attend and carry out security surveys and offer advice around prevention."

Ewan MacDonald-Russell, deputy head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said similar crimes were being reported in high streets across the country.

He said: "A lot of this is very organised gangs who will steal things to order.  They're very unpleasant organised gangs who are involved in an awful lot of much worse crimes and sometimes they use retail crime as a funding mechanism and a way to recruit people."