THIS week, I want to draw attention to a seasonal issue in East Lothian in terms of acquisitive crime relating to the theft of tent boxes from vehicles.

Whilst we have not seen large numbers of thefts, there is always potential for opportunistic thefts of expensive camping gear if this is not properly secured, either when at home or on your trip.

As the weather improves, I’m sure that there are many of you – and I include myself in this – who enjoy camping and caravanning either within the county or further afield, so this is probably a timely reminder to take some precautions to secure your equipment, either when storing it at home or whilst away, whether this is tent boxes, bicycle racks, caravans or other equipment.

Earlier in the year, we saw several thefts of caravans from East Lothian whilst they were in winter storage. These are being investigated and are strongly believed to be linked to organised crime. Clearly these are high-value items, the loss of which is extremely impactive and distressing, so again I would advocate taking appropriate measures around security. We have a number of trained crime prevention officers to assist with advice on security measures and equipment, particularly if you run a camping or caravanning business.

Whilst on the subject of camping, we have seen a number of tents around Yellowcraig, Tyninghame, Skateraw, Gullane and Levenhall over the last fortnight, along with fires which have left damage at these sites.

Fires on grass not only risk becoming out of control but also damage the ground, leaving horrible scars on the ground that take a prolonged period to recover from. Countryside rangers patrolling these sites have reported a number of new fire sites and also damage to tree roots as fires have been in inappropriate locations. If people are wild camping the recommendation is to bring a stove and leave no trace.

Fire damage has been noticed at scenic spots in East Lothian

Fire damage has been noticed at scenic spots in East Lothian

Wild camping is permitted if it is:

  • Part of a pedestrian or cycled journey;
  • Lightweight backpack camping – every piece of equipment is carried as part of that journey;
  • Done in small tents (two-person) and a maximum of four campers together;
  • Only for two nights in any one place;
  • Done discreetly, respecting neighbours and nature;
  • In line with local signage guidance on our sites;
  • Leave no trace.

See eastlothian.gov.uk/wild-camping for more information.

I would encourage anyone visiting our coastal areas to use designated campsites, which will help us look after our coastal environment and not spoil the experience for others. Please visit the countryside responsibly and leave no trace, taking litter home and recycling as much as possible.