Spring brings opportunities for criminals - Sean Scott

The approach of springtime with lighter and longer days tends to coincide with a rise in doorstep crime and bogus workmen offences.

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott outside St Leonard's Police Station, Edinburgh Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Criminals attemp to pose as genuine employees of utility companies, construction workers and even police officers.

My advice to help prevent yourself falling victim to any of these type of scams is to be wary of anyone calling at your home unexpectedly and then asking for access to the property.

If this does occur, ask for identification and do all you can to verify it with the organisation they claim to be representing.

You may already have a password set up with these companies if they do need to visit you, so ask for it whenever anyway turns up at your door.

Please also remember, that there is no need to be embarrassed to tell any cold-caller ‘no thank you’ and cease your engagement and interaction with them. If you think a rogue trader or bogus caller has called on you, or been in your street, report this to the police immediately on 101 or in the case of an emergency, dial 999. You can find a lot of useful information on stopping scammers on our website at https://www.scotland.police.uk/advice-and-information/scams-and-frauds/doorstep-crime-and-bogus-callers/

It would be remiss of me not to address the current situation taking place within Ukraine and the profound impact this has had on many people, both within the country and across the world, including here in Edinburgh.

We've already seen demonstrations taking place within the Capital and we will continue to provide an appropriate response to allow all related protests to take place peacefully.

It is not uncommon for us to see a rise in antisocial behaviour during times when schools are on holiday and so last week, we carried out a joint initiative with Lothian Buses tackling antisocial behaviour. Community officers from across the city and Lothian Buses staff engaged with a number of passengers, youths and drivers to deter such offences and identify those responsible. Our public transport network is a vital part of the city’s transport infrastructure and any incidents arising on them will be robustly dealt with to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers.

Those of us who live within the Capital will likely recall the events of January 2018 when an improvised explosive device was found within Princes Street Gardens. This was a frightening experience for our communities, particularly those who regularly frequent the city centre for work and recreation and it was treated with the utmost seriousness by Police Scotland, who launched a major investigation to identify whoever was responsible.

This resulted in the arrest of 35-year-old Nikolaos Karvounakis and on the 16th February he was sentenced to over eight years in prison for leaving this device with the Gardens.

Our Counter Terrorism investigators worked closely with colleagues in law enforcement agencies, both in the UK and Europe, over the course of a number of years to identify Karvounakis and bring him to justice. His sentencing is testament to the dedication of Police Scotland and all our partners involved in this inquiry.

Given the restrictions and limitations that have been placed upon us all over the past two years, I hope this coming Spring and Summer are more of a return to pre-COVID ‘normality’ and you can rest assured that officers in Edinburgh will be working tirelessly to keep everyone who lives, works and visits the city safe."

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott, Divisional Commander for Edinburgh