Axe found hidden inside guitar case left in trees

RESIDENTS who chased off a bike thief from their close were shocked to find the lout’s tools – including an axe – hidden in a guitar case in nearby trees.

Those living in Dochart Terrace bravely challenged a man who was attempting to steal a £400 bike which was in the block.

Police attended the scene in Menzieshill on Wednesday afternoon before an “offensive weapon” was recovered as part of the investigation, according to officers.

Neighbours found the axe as well as a large set of cutters after chasing off the man, who was wearing a mask and hood.

One woman, who did not wish to be named, said her neighbour had challenged the man within the close before he claimed he was just “passing through” the block.

“One of the neighbours confronted the guy but she hadn’t noticed he’d jammed the back door of our block open near to where the bike was,” she said.

“It is a Carrera bike and it cost about £400 and belongs to a young boy who is only about 11 or 12.

“When I walked past the railing where the young lad keeps it the bike fell and then I noticed this guy hanging around outside.

“I went and told my neighbour that the bike wasn’t secured, she came down and that’s when we both noticed the padlock had been cut clean off the bike.

“As we were yacking we noticed the guy was still hanging about outside and my neighbour went out and confronted him again, explaining the police had been called.”

The man who was in dark clothing and described as being in his twenties or thirties had been compared to a “ninja” due to his appearance.

The woman added:

“When he was told the police had been called he just said a few expletives.

“We both challenged him about trying to steal a child’s bike and he said ‘whatever’ and then he came back towards us so I started taking pictures of him.

“There was no care given by the guy.” During the incident another neighbour had also been doing his own surveillance of the man’s conduct in and around the time of the attempted theft of the bike.

She explained: “It must have been around 20 minutes after this guy left, I must add he never ran away – he just walked off.

“Another neighbour approached us and told us he had seen the guy taking a guitar case into the woods and he was struggling to lift it.

“He had been suspicious of the guy who was dressed like a ninja and he’d also contacted the police about his conduct.

“We all walked down to the path near to the church (St Ninian’s Roman Catholic Church) and found the case.

“We were struggling to pull it out ourselves, when we opened it, we saw the cutters, which were the size of the case and a small axe.

“I was surprised to see what was inside.”

A spokeswoman woman for Police Scotland added: “At around 2.30pm on Wednesday March 17, we received a report of an attempted theft and possession of an offensive weapon outside a property at Dochart Terrace in Dundee.

“Officers attended and the offensive weapon was recovered. Inquires to establish the full circumstances of the incident are ongoing.”

The tools were in the guitar case.