Crooks come in from cold

SNOW and freezing temperatures which gripped the Lothians last month coincided with a nearly 20 per cent drop in crime levels.

A total of 4,234 crimes were reported across the force area during January, compared with 5184 during the same month last year.

Vandals were the most put off during the big freeze, with reported incidents falling from 1,398 to 954.

Housebreakings also decreased from 160 to 129, while thefts and attempted thefts from locked premises dropped from 162 to 77 over the same period.