A TEXT hotline has been set up to encourage youngsters to shop their friends as vandals.
Police have taken the unusual step of launching the service in a bid to clamp down on a spate of attacks on buses in Midlothian.
Gangs of teenagers have caused thousands pounds of damage by throwing stones and other missiles at buses travelling f
rom Clerwood and Haymarket to Birkenside.
The vehicles have been ambushed in a spate of attacks as they pass through three Midlothian towns and police fear it's only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured.
Now a specialist unit tackling vandalism are hoping text-mad youngsters who know who the culprits are will contact them.
Officers say large groups of youngsters were present during the incidents but only a small number of ringleaders are carrying out the attacks.
They hope to gather intelligence from youths not involved in smashing the windows who may prefer to send a message rather than phone police directly.
The majority of the incidents have taken place in the Lauder Road area of Dalkeith, with four buses hit in the past week.
A strip of land between the Miller scheme and the Westhouses scheme has been dubbed "ambush alley" because most of the attacks happen there.
Other incidents have been reported in Newtongrange and Loanhead, where three buses have been damaged since New Year.
Pc Gary McFarlane, of the Operation Excalibur anti-vandal team, said: "Unfortunately, the number of attacks have risen significantly in the run-up to Christmas and since that time.
"The buses have been targeted by a gang of youths aged between 12 and 15. We don't know if it's more than one gang but we are following positive leads.
"It's only a matter of time before there is a serious injury, whether it be passengers, pedestrians or the drivers themselves.
"The gangs tend to include eight or ten youths and we believe some of them have not thrown missiles themselves. We would encourage them to let us know who is responsible before it becomes more serious."
The text message service on 07766708705 is answered by the Operation Excalibur team, who have promised youngsters anonymity. Pc McFarlane added: "The youths in the area know who the ringleaders area. Many youngsters prefer to communicate by text rather than by phone, so we're hoping for a good response.
Undercover officers from the team have also been travelling on the buses to gather intelligence and working with First Bus and Lothian Buses whose vehicles have both come under fire.
Passengers have faced delays after services were abruptly halted or diverted after vandals struck.
Last October, First buses withdrew its new fleet of 15 double-deckers from the popular route after only a few weeks.
Bosses made the decision to safeguard their £3 million investment after a number of buses had their windows smashed in.
Brian Juffs, managing director of First Bus Scotland East, said: "It's highly regrettable that we've had to make diversions to our services at the last minute but it's only been done as a last resort.
"We withdrew our new buses from the route but our chief concern is the safety of our staff and customers."
A Lothian Buses spokesman said: "Any initiative like this which will end the mindless vandal attacks on buses is welcome."
