Police seize stun-gun from Leith house in crackdown

Published on Thursday 23 October 2008 10:01

A stun-gun and a cannister of CS spray were among the items seized by police during a crackdown on crime in Leith.

The items were taken by the officers as part of a series of seizures and raids carried out during the recent Week of Action.

The initiative, which also involved council officers, the Leith Neighbourhood Partnership and local residents, has now been hailed a huge success.

As well as the high-voltage stun-gun, officers seized quantities of cannabis, 3840 in cash and two stolen bikes during the six-day initiative last week.

One person was charged with fire raising, while another was charged with 14 counts of vandalism.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, working with police, stopped 48 vehicles in a four-hour blitz. One vehicle was seized, another clamped, and six charges issued.

The council's team of community safety officers were also involved, issuing three warnings concerning antisocial behaviour.

Inspector Stephen Paul, of Lothian and Borders Police, said: "Working with the partnership has allowed us to successfully target crime and antisocial behaviour and we've got an excellent set of results which reflects this.

"While there's still to be a full evaluation and feedback from the community, the feedback so far has been really encouraging."

The week of action covered the area between Commercial Street, Great Junction/North Junction Street and Constitution Street.

The majority of the households there were visited by police, and letters were sent to over 2400 houses explaining the initiative and providing contact details for the neighbourhood partnership.

Police officers carried out 270 crime prevention surveys, while firefighters from Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service carried out 220 fire safety checks.

The council's graffiti removal squad cleaned up graffiti across the whole area on every day of the action week.

Councillor Rob Munn, convener of the Leith Neighbourhood Partnership, said: "I am very pleased that the Leith Week of Action has been such a success.

"Having spoken to residents and those partaking in the events, I know this has been an important event for the people of Leith.

"Both council staff and police have been working very hard to make sure the week produced these positive results.

"I hope that both residents and businesses in the Leith area will keep up the good work and inspire other areas of the city to be so proactive in looking after their neighbourhood."

Graham Chapman, chairman of the Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council, agreed that the week had been a huge success, and said residents had been delighted to see police back on the streets.

"It has certainly been welcomed, and people have been keen to get involved," he said. "I have had so many comments from residents about how pleased they were to see the increased police presence."