A group of furious Edinburgh motorcyclists gathered in the city centre on Friday to share their concerns over bike thefts around the capital.
Around 30 local riders came together outside the Scottish Parliament along with their bikes after hearing an increasing number of stories of theft in the city.
This week, Edinburgh Live reported how a local mum had woken on Tuesday (June 28) to find her expensive Honda motorcycle had been snatched by thieves, with a nearby driver in Dalkeith reporting a masked youngster performing dangerous stunts on what appeared to be stolen bike.
Last month, two Yorkshire tourists visiting Edinburgh following their NC500 tour also saw both of their bikes nabbed after they left them locked on Gracemount Place.
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With similar incidents seeing a number of reports made to police, riders across the city headed to Holyrood for a last minute protest to raise awareness of the issue. A banner read "Sick of bike thieves, empower the police, mandatory sentences". The group, largely formed of riders who had been victims of theft or associated violent crime, met with police and discussed the problem for about an hour outside the building.
One member of the group, Oliver, said his friend was targeted by thieves just days ago in Musselburgh after visiting the area for just two days.
He added: "The situation's out of control, we have to post on tourist forums and international groups telling visiting riders to stay away from Edinburgh, it's unsafe. Everyone knows someone attacked, robbed or stolen from, and you only need to stand in certain areas of the city at night to see thieves racing down pavements on stolen bikes.
"It's really peaked in the last month, and when they get stolen they usually get used in ways that endangers other people and road users.
"It seems to focus on tourists too because many will sadly leave them unlocked thinking they will be fine and it makes them an easy theft. When I've passed hotels and places I've had to go in many a time and tell them to get that bike locked, it's embarrassing for us to have to say it, but there will be loads of people coming through Edinburgh in the summer months on bikes to go and do the North Coast 500."
Echoing their riders concerns, Colin Brown, from the Motorcycle Action Group, said:
"'Vehicle crime is not a low level offence. It is a serious crime that causes distress and upset to its victims.' These are the words of ACC Jenny Sims the NPCC lead on vehicle crime at the National Vehicle Crime Conference yesterday. MAG’s recent research shows that motorcyclists are eleven times more likely to become vehicle theft victims than car drivers.
"It comes as no surprise that riders are feeling the need to make their voices heard outside the Scottish Parliament, and MAG would like to echo their comments. Motorcycle theft is a scourge that sees insufficient focus by police forces and wider stakeholder groups. Whilst technological battles are fought between car manufacturers and car thieves and vast police time and effort goes into car theft, basic measures such as secure parking facilities for motorcycles are overlooked.
"There are fundamental differences between the vulnerability of cars and motorcycles to theft. These differences need to be recognised if the problem is to be tackled. In the absence of decisive action from the authorities, riders often feel the need to take direct action themselves to protect their bikes, and this inevitably leads to confrontations and violence."
Recognising the problem Superintendent Sam Ainslie, of Police Scotland, said: “Many types of offending behaviour, including motorcycle crime, reduced dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, albeit disappointingly we are now seeing this issue returning to pre-pandemic levels.
“We have received a number of reports in recent weeks relating to the theft and reckless use of motorcycles across the city.
“This behaviour will not be tolerated, and working with partners, and Road Policing we have co-ordinated plans in place as part of Operation Soteria, to proactively prevent and address these concerns.
“This has included deploying Edinburgh Division’s very own Operation Orbit officers who are trained in the use of off-road motorbikes, these officers have and will continue to patrol any identified areas to identify offenders, prevent and deter further incidents and provide community reassurance.
“Road safety is one of Edinburgh Division’s top priorities, and notwithstanding the risk these reckless individuals pose to their own safety, their behaviours cause significant risk to pedestrians and other road users, and I wish to reassure the public that offenders will be dealt with robustly.
“To allow us to target our patrols effectively, I would encourage communities to report incidents via 101, and should anyone have information as to the identity of those placing communities at risk, this can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
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