The Royal Mile is becoming increasingly dangerous

The famous Royal Mile in Edinburgh (Scotland), known for its historic sites and charming shops, is currently suffering from a wave of thefts. Shop owners report a “lawless” atmosphere in which thieves are becoming increasingly brazen, the BBC reports.

In recent months, goods worth thousands of pounds have been stolen. Surveillance videos released by regional television station STV show people stealing expensive cashmere scarves, sweaters and jackets from shops in broad daylight. A particularly shocking video shows a man breaking a shop window at night and then stealing tweed bags worth up to 150 pounds (around 180 euros).

Employees are threatened and attacked

Galab Singh Gold, owner of several shops around the Royal Mile, reported losses of £15,000 worth of goods in the past three months, the BBC report said. In addition to these losses, there are high costs for repairing broken windows. “I have hours of CCTV footage (public surveillance cameras) that show how brazen the thieves have become,” he reports, adding: “It’s the worst thing I’ve seen in the 35 years of our business on the Royal Mile.”

Singh Gold is convinced that organized gangs are behind the thefts. He has repeatedly seen the same people stealing high-value items. “Someone orders these bags or knows people who want to buy them – it’s not just petty crime anymore,” he says.

Good to know

The Royal Mile in Edinburgh runs from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace and is actually about a Scottish mile long. The street became particularly well-known to a global audience on September 12, 2022. At that time, the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II was brought here in a funeral procession to St. Giles Cathedral, to be later transported to London.

Another alarming detail: Employees are increasingly being threatened and attacked. One employee was punched in the face, others were pushed to the ground or verbally threatened. Singh Gold reports: “Several good employees have resigned because they feel threatened at work.”

The situation has led Singh Gold to consider hiring security guards – a measure that would cost him £8,000 a month. “It’s shocking that something like this is happening on the most prestigious street in the country,” he says.

Maria Sanchez, manager of the Marchbrae store on the Royal Mile, also confirmed to BBC Scotland that the thieves were prepared to use violence: “They know exactly what their rights are and that we are not allowed to touch them.” She, too, was attacked and now feels unsafe.

Meanwhile, the police have stressed their commitment to solving the problem in several media outlets. They say they are aware of the current problems and have a team on site. Regular patrols should help to contain the problem.