The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Thieves leave death threat
A SHOCKED garage owner has received a chilling death threat from robbers who stole his life’s work.
Fifer John Maxwell discovered the message: “Look over your shoulder or you’re dead” spray painted on the wall of his business after thieves struck in the middle of the night.
The devastated 56-year-old, who has run Bow Street Garage in Buckhaven for 32 years, is now facing ruin after £25,000 worth of specialist equipment was taken in the heist.
Mr Maxwell believes he was deliberately targeted by criminals stealing the items to order and fears he will never be able to replace what he has lost.
“They broke through a two inch thick wooden door with an axe or something so they were really determined to get in,” he said.
Mr Maxwell, who runs the garage with wife Elizabeth, specialises in restoring and repairing classic cars dating as far back as the 1930s.
“Modern equipment doesn’t work on old cars so a lot of the stuff that’s been stolen was bought by me a bit at a time at sales or memorabilia shows which are held once a year,” he said.
“It took me 32 years to buy all the stuff and I can’t afford to replace it.
“If I don’t get it back and the insurance doesn’t pay out I might have to shut the place. I would be really scunnered.”
He added: “Something that looks like a bit of junk to most people is, to me, the Rolls-Royce of equipment. “I believe it’s been stolen to order. “I think somebody has got my stuff and they are sitting on it for somebody.
“It’s not getting sold on, which is very, very unusual and there are no rumours going about locally about who might have it.
“The police are totally bamboozled.”
Mr Maxwell had been working until 9.50pm last Wednesday and locked up as normal.
He discovered the break-in when he arrived for work at 9am the next morning.
“I had left a couple of aerosols of paint and they used one of them to spray me a message in the workshop saying ‘look over your shoulder or you’re dead’.
“Another message sprayed said ‘phone the police if you like’.”
Detective Sergeant Alec Raeside said: “I would urge anyone with relevant information to contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”