Raiders wreck yoga studio’s fundraising

Thieves take charity cash and cause hundreds of pounds-worth of damage to building

The owner of a Dundee yoga studio said the company’s fundraising efforts are “back to nothing” after being broken into on Tuesday night.

Dundee’s Heart Space Yoga was raided between 9pm on Tuesday and 6am yesterday, with £200 stolen and an estimated £700-worth of damage caused.

The Scott Street studio, co-founded by Kilted Yoga man Finlay Wilson, was raided by thieves, who used wire cutters to get through grated security windows before making off with the money, taken from a cash box.

Finlay said he was stunned when he arrived for work yesterday morning to discover the theft.

“This is the third time in recent years we have been broken into,” he said.

“Someone has obviously planned this as they have brought all this equipment and knew exactly what they were doing and where they were going.

“I have my suspicions that it’s the same people as last time.

“As well as the cash, I’ve lost earnings too as I had to cancel all my morning classes. I was cleaning up all morning desperately trying to make sure I could get up and running.”

The studio works with children who have additional support needs, adults with a wide range of injuries and disabilities and also supports work at the Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, carers’ organisations and youth groups.

Finlay is hoping to raise part of a £36,000 fundraising target through next month’s Kilt Walk to continue helping people.

He added: “Just on the back of our effort to raise money through the Kilt Walk, it’s so frustrating. All our fundraising efforts are back to nothing.

“We can’t stop what we are doing though. We just have to roll with the punches.”

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Anyone with any information that may be useful should contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting CR/20096/17 or speak to any police officer.

“Alternatively information can be passed anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Finlay was thrust into the public eye earlier this year after his Kilted Yoga videos garnered around 52 million hits worldwide.

It’s so frustrating. All our fundraising efforts are back to nothing

Pictures: Kris Miller. Finlay Wilson outside Heart Space Yoga, which was broken into by thieves, who stole £200 of charity cash. Below: the damage they caused to the studio.