Cash stolen from meters

A GANG of thieves has stolen thousands of pounds from city centre parking meters by cutting them open.

Meters backing onto public gardens in Heriot Row and Queen Street Gardens have been cut open by thieves who also had to cut through railings to gain access in some cases.

They apparently hid in shrubbery behind the metres while they cut through the inch-thick steel at the back of the meters using cutting gear and drills.

The theft was detected when parking bosses found four of the machines were empty.

A spokesman for Edinburgh City Council said: "The machines are being repaired and the council has reported the incidents to the police."