Thieves do runner with bath and tools in £10m hotel raid

Showers, radiators and brass piping were also taken during the break-in at Hotel du Vin, which is being built on Forrest Road.

The incident is the latest in a series of metal thefts across the city, which have seen everything from drain covers to propellers for the Royal Yacht Britannia stolen.

A Hotel du Vin spokesman said: "A number of items were stolen from the site. One of the items stolen was an extremely heavy steel bath, which would have required four people to carry.

"It was obviously a very well organised theft. But it hasn't deterred our enthusiasm for developing the site. We are very confident we will be open and operating before Christmas."

He added that security had now been stepped up at the site of the five-star hotel development.

The theft took place between 3pm on Sunday, August 17 and 7.30am the following morning. One theory is that the thieves wore high-visibility jackets so as not to arouse suspicion from passers-by.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said officers were investigating.

Organised gangs have targeted building sites and industrial yards in recent months, looking to cash in on the soaring price of metals fuelled by a building boom in China and India. At least 140 manhole covers have been stolen across in the Lothians.

Unoccupied new homes have also been a target, with new apartments on Lochend Road hit twice in the space of a month by thieves.

There has also been an increase in the number of crimes on the railways, leading the British Transport Police to set up a special squad to combat the problem.

The Hotel du Vin, which is due to open on December 5, will feature 47 bedrooms and suites.

Shortly after construction began last year, the hotel was refused permission to serve alcohol, but the decision was overturned in January.