Police are seeking witnesses after a group of men set fire to a number of cars parked within the grounds of HMP Addiewell last week.
At around 7:45pm on Friday, prison staff raised the alarm after four males in a blue Range Rover Evoke pulled into the car park. Three males wearing balaclavas then exited the vehicle and proceeded to damage or set alight five parked cars before returning to the Range Rover and making off.
At around 8:15pm the same day, two men were seen setting fire to the Range Rover in Harvester Way, Edinburgh, before fleeing the scene in a silver coloured vehicle.
In a joint investigation between CID officers in Edinburgh and West Lothian, police are now carrying out various lines of inquiry in an effort to swiftly trace and arrest all of the suspects.
Through these enquiries officers have been able to determine that the Range Rover was stolen from a property in Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret Close sometime between August 7th and 8th while the occupiers were on holiday. During this same incident the thief or thieves stole a silver Audi A3 with the registration SL16 SUX as well as several other household items including electronic devices.
At around 6:40pm on Monday, August 8th, the Audi was spotted in the Granton area of the city and was later recovered by police in Eildon Street.
Anyone who can help identify those responsible is asked to come forward.
Detective Inspector Paul Batten of Livingston CID, said: “We are satisfied that this was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the general public.
“However, this was a brazen attack that caused several thousand pounds worth of damage as well as cause significant fear and alarm.
“Today, I’m appealing to anyone who saw the blue Range Rover Evoke at any point between Monday, August 8th, and Friday, August 12th, to come forward immediately.
“Likewise, anyone who has information relating to the housebreaking in Queen Margaret Close between August 7th and 8th is asked to come forward.
“In particular, I would be interested to hear from anyone who remembers any suspicious activity in the area of Queen Margaret Close around the time of this crime.”
Those with relevant information are asked to contact police in 101 or alternatively a report can be made anonymously through the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
