SOME of Scotland’s wealthiest streets have suffered a sudden upsurge in break-ins, it emerged today.
Police say the upmarket Grange, Marchmont and Newington areas of Edinburgh have seen a 16% rise in break-ins, despite numbers falling across the rest of the city.
Homes in the affluent Grange area, home to Fred Goodwin, can sell for up to £5m.
High value electronics such as iPods, iPads and laptops are favourites with thieves as they can be sold on easily for hundreds of pounds.
iPads are popular with thieves as they can be easily sold Photo:Robert Scoble
Ground-floor homes have been particularly badly hit as opportunistic thieves are able to see their loot through windows.
The break-ins have led Lothian and Borders police to double their resources in the area and put on patrols 24 hours a day, a project called Operation Dispatch.
Chief Inspector John Rae said: “The Grange [and surrounding areas] have bucked the downward trend of house breakings we’ve seen across the capital, and in recent months we have in fact seen a rise.
“Operation Dispatch has been in place since late January, and we’ve greatly bolstered the teams operating in these areas. There have been a number of, however, break ins are continuing, mainly in ground floor dwellings. We’d encourage residents to ensure windows and doors are secured and well maintained.
“The majority of break-ins tend to target electrical items, iPods, iPads and laptops being the most popular, and we would encourage anyone who has seen anything suspicious to contact police. Similarly, anyone with information as to where these items are being sold should contact us.”
Earlier this week it was revealed that housebreakings in the capital had dropped in 2011.
Last year almost five homes a day were raided, totalling 1,700 for the year. But just two years earlier the figure stood at 2,100.
The worst hit areas of the Capital included Niddrie, Hillside and Blackford.
Local councillor Paul Godzik said: “there have been problems with housebreakings in these areas and thieves are clearly looking to target affluent areas in the city centre.”
