Edinburgh delivery drivers claim they are under attack from gangs of masked robbers, who are targeting them for their vehicles.
In the last few months, several couriers have had their vehicles stolen, including one that claimed to have been held up at gunpoint.
One delivery driver told Edinburgh Live that he and his colleagues are more wary than ever about going out to work.
Kacper Piłasiewicz was the subject of one such robbery when his bike was stolen as he was finishing his delivery in the Drylaw area of the beautiful Scottish city.
He told the publication: “Delivery drivers who use motorbikes, electric bikes and scooters are afraid of vehicle theft.
“In every part of the city you can see groups dressed in black, wearing masks and riding bikes, these are the people who stole my bike.
“I think that there are several groups carrying out these crimes across different areas.”
Kacper told the publication that another biker had passed him a map of the area which revealed which areas of Edinburgh gangs patrol in search of vehicles to steal.
The App Drivers and Couriers Union told Edinburgh Live that crimes against delivery drivers are rising.
Courier branch lead for the ADCU, Catherine Meechan, said that rising crime is a major concern for union members across the UK.
She said: “We hear from drivers from up and down the UK and it is something we know drivers are really worried about. We have drivers that are no longer willing to go out at night because it isn’t safe, and others that are swapping their bikes for cars just to have a little bit more protection.
“These are hard working members of society who provide a really valuable service and they deserve our respect and to be given as much protection as possible.”
Police Scotland confirmed that it had received two reports of theft and a robbery report. It added that enquiries were ongoing but that these incidents were not linked.
