Shock as first serious crime in 20 years sees island’s only hotel robbed
It is a virtually crime-free island where many of the locals have never felt the need to lock their doors.
However, the first serious crime to be reported on Gigha for years has sent shock waves rippling through the community owned island, which is home to just 160 people.
As police investigate the weekend theft of £2,000 cash from the island’s only hotel, resident Willie Mcsporran, 82, who led the island’s famous community land buyout in 2002, said: “It’s terrible that these things are happening now after all these years.
“The last thing I remember is a bike going missing about 20 years ago, when my brother had the local shop.
“When we are on the island our door is open but we will lock the door now, I think it would be sensible for people to lock their doors now. People tend to be more trusting on the islands, they have no suspicion, but they will need to think again.”
Ken Deacon, lease owner of the community trust owned Gigha Hotel, said staff discovered the cash was missing from a storeroom when they opened up on Sunday morning.
Mr Deacon, 66, said: “It was about £2,000, part of the takings from the evening and the float. We had a busy Saturday night, a normal sort of Saturday, the hotel was full of guests.”
Mr Deacon added that everyone was shocked by the theft as serious crime was so rare on Gigha. He said: “There might be a few lads on the island that get into a bit of mischief, but nothing like this.
“My house has not been locked for four years, I don’t lock my car, a lot of people here haven’t ever locked their house. It has disturbed people because they are now thinking have we now got to start locking up?”
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Between 10.00pm on Saturday September 8 and 1.00am on Sunday September 9 at the Gigha Hotel on the Isle of Gigha, entry was gained to a store room and money was stolen.
“Constable David Hope at Campbeltown Police Station is investigating.”