Book goes wild in praise of city police

Published on Monday 12 October 2009 10:00

A PIONEERING wildlife detective's new book has praised Lothian and Borders Police's response to wildlife crime, describing it as "highly organised and effective".

A former police inspector in Tayside, Alan Stewart's investigations for his book, The Thin Green Line, took him the length and breadth of Britain and Ireland.

Crimes tackled by the police locally include finch trapping, badger baiting, poisoning – and even an animal welfare issue with a crocodile.

Mr Stewart said: "Some of the cases in the book are extremely complicated, and all rely on a network of experts and the experience of wildlife crime officers in the police forces involved.

"The Lothian and Borders force has developed invaluable expertise in this field of investigation and has shown a level of commitment matched by few other forces."

And Mr Stewart also relates the case of a local man who desperately wanted a crocodile as a pet, bought one in contravention of the Pet Animals Act and wound up with a five-foot version of his dream pet in his bath until he was caught by the police and Scottish SPCA.

The book was launched in Edinburgh last week and is on sale now.