Police probe af ter jeweller found dead in his village home

POLICE were last night investi- gating the ‘suspicious’ death of a jeweller at his upmarket home in a quiet village.

Alan Gardner, 49, was found dead after reports of an incident at the house in Balbeggie, near Perth, on Thursday afternoon.

The street was immediately sealed off as more than a dozen police vehicles, including a mobile command van, descended on the area.

Detectives had issued an urgent appeal for help in tracing Mr Gardner’s blue Toyota car, which had not been seen since the incident and could hold vital clues.

Last night officers in Aberdeenshire confirmed that it had been found, though no other details regarding the location were released.

Uniformed officers were standing guard as forensic teams worked in Mr Gardner’s home, which is in a neat cul-de-sac of just five houses.

Mr Gardner is originally from Wishaw, in Lanarkshire, and moved to the village with his wife Jennifer and their young daughter Hollie around six years ago.

However, the couple separated in 2013 and Mrs Gardner returned to live in Hamilton, in Lanarkshire, with their daughter. Mrs Gardner was not at her home yesterday.

Mr Gardner ran a jewellery business from his £250,000 home in Balbeggie – manufacturing and repairing rings, bracelets and watches.

Neighbours described him as an active member of the community until his wife left, but said that he had become quite reserved since the break-up.

Jackie Taylor, 73, said: ‘I knew Alan quite well and there has been a lot of shock at what has happened.

‘He hadn’t been keeping too well recently. He had to stop driving for a while because he was having blackouts.

‘He moved here with his wife and his wee girl and they were one big happy family.

‘Alan was a good lad and he fitted into the village quite well. But he separated from his wife about two years ago and I don’t think he ever got over it.

‘He seemed pretty depressed after that happened – a big change came over him.

‘I’d see him out and about with his dog or posting jewellery at the post office every day – it’s a shame.’

Mr Gardner had worked in the jewellery trade for around 30 years and had a specialist workshop in the back garden of his home. Local councillor Dennis Melloy described what had happened in the village as ‘tragic’.

He said: ‘If it’s the case that this poor chap has been killed in a small place like Balbeggie, it’s something you associate with the city.

‘I think that’s quite tragic. Everybody knows each other in places like that. It just upsets everybody. I’m really sorry to hear about it.’

One female neighbour, who did not want to be named, said last night: ‘I haven’t seen him for a few years – ever since his wife left.

‘I think he’s been a bit of a recluse. He keeps himself to himself.

‘I used to see them quite a lot when they were out walking the dog, but when she left, she took the dog with her.’

A Police Scotland Tayside Division spokesman said: ‘Police Scotland can confirm that an investigation is under way in to the suspicious death of a 49-year-old man at an address in the Balbeggie area of Perthshire.

‘Inquiries are at an early stage however officers are keen to trace a vehicle which belonged to the deceased.

‘It is a blue Toyota Rav, registration number M301 ORO.’

Confirming last night that the vehicle had been tracked down, a police statement thanked members of the public and the media for their assistance in recovering it so quickly.

‘It’s something you associate with the city’