An Edinburgh shopkeeper has hit out at a so-called ‘Young Team’, who he says attacked his local shop, stealing items and smashing in the windows and doors.
Police Scotland were called yesterday evening and notified after the terrifying incident at Ferry Road, Pilton.
Crowds of youths have been gathering in the area recently and causing trouble in recent weeks but last night things escalated into serious criminal damage.
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Despite the shop lying just yards from Drylaw Police Station the yobs have been using it as a base and congregating in recent weeks and months.
Edinburgh Live received reports today that one of the children involved was only eight years old.
One of the youngsters entered the shop later on yesterday evening but the owner noticed him shoplifting and ordered him to leave.
The yob darted out the shop to meet a large crowd of his friends standing outside and slammed the door behind him, causing the window to smash. The shop owner says they then battered his door with bricks whilst he was waiting on the cops arriving.
One onlooker said: “There was a group of young folk outside the shop last night and they put a brick into the door. It’s been getting worse here. They seem to be getting younger as well. We heard one of them was eight years old.
“The young team keeps getting older you see them with hickeys on their necks and everything.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said :”Officers received a report of shoplifting and vandalism by a youth at a shop premises in Ferry Road, Edinburgh at around 8.15pm on Wednesday, 19 January, 2022.
"Enquiries are ongoing.”
