Mystery over dad found dead in stolen Mercedes

A MAN whose body was found in a burning car has been identified as a Polish national who had been visiting Scotland.

Rafal Michal Lyko, 36, was discovered in a stolen Mercedes GLE in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, on Monday.

Police had raced to the car park following reports of an explosion.

Dad-of-one Rafal arrived in Scotland last Saturday before making his way to stay with family in Tayside.

He travelled to Lanarkshire on Monday and was later in the Blairgeth area of Rutherglen.

The black Mercedes was spotted there before it was discovered on fire later. BY ALAN McEWEN and JANE HAMILTON Detective Chief Inspector David Scott said: “We have had a good response from the public following our appeal and I’d like to thank those who have come forward with information.

“Now we have identified Rafal as being the man in the car, we are trying to put together his last known movements and try to ascertain why he was in the South Lanarkshire area.

“We can also confirm that specially trained officers are providing Rafal’s family support at this very difficult time.

“I’m continuing to appeal to anyone who may have seen that Mercedes GLE or who knows Rafal and where he was during the day on Monday, February 11 to contact police.

“His family have been left devastated by their loss. Rafal had a young son with his partner in Poland and we need to get answers for his family and establish how this man lost his life.”

The identification came after a grandfather told of his horror that a charred body had been found in the wreckage of his stolen Mercedes GLE, sparking a murder probe.

Khalid Farooq had appealed for help in tracing the £55,000 car after it was taken from his driveway – along with his daughter’s Audi – in Oxgangs, Edinburgh, more than three weeks ago

The 59-year-old was later contacted by police probing the discovery of a dead man – now known to be Rafal – in the burning Merc.

Khalid a retail company director, said police are linking the car theft to a spate of crimes, including a ram-raid in Gorgie Road, Edinburgh, on January 31, where a digger was used to target an ATM machine.

The dad-of-four said stolen number plates were inside the Mercedes, suggesting crooks were swapping them round to avoid detection.