Hunt for driver after car found crashed with keys in ignition

Police have launched an investigation after a car was found crashed with the keys in the ignition and the engine still running.

The silver Vauxhall Astra was discovered in Burns Street, Edinburgh, at 9.25am on Friday after it had collided with a drainpipe of a building.

There was no trace of the driver at the scene of the crash.

The vehicle had been spotted earlier, around 9am, by police on patrol on Easter Road.

When they asked the driver to stop after noticing a defect on the vehicle, the person failed to do so.

Officers then followed it along Restalrig Road towards the junction with East Hermitage Place where it sped away.

Around 9.25am, the same officers came across the same car which had collided with the drainpipe of a building in Burns Street.

Sergeant Jill Kirkpatrick said: “We are appealing for anyone walking or driving in the Leith area at the time who may have seen this car being driven, possibly at speed, to get in touch.

“The car may have been driven along a number of streets between Easter Road and Burns Street. These include Brunswick Road, Leith Links, Albion Road, Albion Place, Hawkhill Avenue, Lochend Road, Sleigh Drive, Lochend Drive and Restalrig Road.

“In particular, anyone with dash-cam footage that may show the car is asked to contact us. If you can help please call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0724 of October 9, 2020, or make a call anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”