The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Appeal in bid to catch masked whisky raiders
Detectives are appealing to hotel and bedand-breakfast providers to help them track down two men who stole whisky worth £150,000 in a raid on a Speyside distillery.
Twenty high-value bottles are believed to have been taken in the raid at the Glenfarclas Distillery in Ballindalloch during the weekend.
It is thought the masked raiders took only four minutes to force their way inside to seize and make off with a haul of fine spirits.
They are said to have drilled through a lock at the distillery’s visitor centre in the early hours of Sunday. They smashed open a cabinet and left with valuable bottles in what appears to be a targeted raid.
Detective Sergeant Graeme Skene, of Aberdeen CID, said: “We are looking to trace two men in connection with the break-in.
“We believe the men travelled to the area and we would appeal to hoteliers, bed-and-breakfast establishments and Airbnb premises to get in touch if they suspect anyone of being suspicious.
“Those responsible will be looking to sell on the alcohol. If you are offered alcohol at a discounted price, you would be wise to suspect it has been stolen.
“It is a criminal offence to buy stolen goods.”
Callum Fraser is production manager at the Moray distillery.
He said: “Somebody gained entry through the door by drilling the lock.
“They’ve obviously been to case the place out because they knew exactly what cabinet they were going for.
“They took our family cask range from 1954 to 1975 – there’s a bottle from every year there – and a bottle of 60-year-old and then went back out of the door.”
Footage from the site has captured the white-masked duo as they entered through the side door at about 2.45am, get what they wanted, and then leave with the haul of bottles about four minutes later.
Mr Fraser, 54, added: “The fact somebody has been in our place, it’s not a nice feeling.
“Somebody has broken in, they felt that’s what they should be doing, and it’s horrendously wrong.
“It makes staff feel uncomfortable.”
He added workers at the family-owned distillery are well known as being friendly and approachable, and said: “It makes us all feel slightly uncomfortable and angry, to be honest.”
Officers are on the hunt for two men in connection with the break-in and say it took place sometime between 5.15pm on Friday and 10am on Sunday.
Anyone with information should call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.