Some news from the police about incidents in the city.
ROBBERY ON BELFORD ROAD
Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses after a 16-year-old male was assaulted outside a city art gallery. The incident happened in the early hours of Monday morning, outside The Dean Gallery, in Belford Road. The victim was walking home on Queensferry Street towards Dean Bridge at around 00.15am when the suspect approached him, and tried to engage him in conversation. The victim continued walking, however the suspect followed him along Belford Road before grabbing him as he passed the gallery. He robbed the victim of his mobile phone and wallet, before making off towards the Water of Leith at Belford Road. The suspect is described as white, in his early to mid-30s, 5ft 9ins tall, with dirty blond/brown collar length hair, and wearing short-sleeved blue checked shirt with a grey vest underneath, along with light-coloured trousers, and black shoes. A police spokesman said: ‘While he wasn’t injured, the victim was still shaken as a result of his ordeal, and we are appealing for any information that can help us locate the suspect. ‘Following his initial attempt to engage with the victim, the suspect has followed him some distance along Belford Road before attacking and robbing him. ‘We know that there were a number of pedestrians in the area at the time, as well as taxis, and we want to speak to anyone who witnessed the assault, or who saw the suspect in the area. ‘Following the attack, the suspect headed towards the Water of Leith at Belford Road, however it is possible that he may have stayed in the area for a short time. ‘Anyone who saw him in the area after the incident, or who has any other information that can assist our inquiries, should contact police at the earliest opportunity.’
SERIOUS ASSAULT
Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following a serious assault on a 24-year-old man in the Capital. The incident happened around 8.15pm yesterday in Restalrig Road, opposite the Gulf Garage. The victim has been involved in a fight with a male, and sustained a puncture wound to his chest and a cut to his forehead before the suspect fled the scene in a silver hatchback car. Officers are now following a positive line of enquiry, but are urging anyone who was in the area and witnessed the incident to come forward. A police spokesman said: “The victim’s injuries are not life threatening, but we are treating this extremely seriously and are keen to speak to anyone with information that can assist with our enquiries. “Anyone who was in Restalrig Road around 8.15pm last night and saw anything suspicious is asked to contact police immediately. “Similarly, anyone who remembers seeing the silver hatchback vehicle being driven by the suspect is also asked to come forward.”
DRUGS SEIZED
Police in Midlothian have recovered cocaine with an estimated value of £220,000 in an operation that took place on Friday 16 July. Officers stopped a vehicle on the Edinburgh City Bypass at Straiton on Friday night, and discovered 4 kilos of the drug contained in packages within the vehicle. The seizure was made under Operation Erase, an ongoing operation targeting serious organised criminality in East Lothian and Midlothian. Two men, aged 29 and 43, have been arrested and charged in connection with drugs offences, and will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday 19th July.
ASSAULT AT NIGHT CLUB
Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses after a 25-year-old man was assaulted in an Edinburgh nightclub. The incident happened around 1.30am at the Stereo club on King Stable’s Road. The man was in the toilets when he was assaulted by an unknown attacker and sustained injuries to his right eye and mouth. There is no description of the suspect and police are now urging anyone who may have been in the club and seen anything suspicious to come forward. A police spokesman said: ‘As well as being incredibly brazen, given the amount of people in the club, this assault also appears to be completely random. ‘Unfortunately we do not have a description of the suspect and so we’re keen to speak to anyone who was within Stereo around 1.30am and has information that can assist with our enquiries. ‘Similarly, anyone who can provide us with a description of the suspect is also asked to contact police immediately.’
