Businesses in Glenrothes have hired their own private security firm to patrol the area at night following concerns about a spike in local crime.
The move by firms on the Eastfield Industrial Estate comes as police investigate a break-in at nearby Bongos soft play centre on Wednesday night which resulted in the theft of a safe containing thousands of pounds.
Another businessman told The Courier he was so concerned about the security of his stock he had driven by his premises several times late on Thursday night and caught two men attempting to steal wheel trims from a brand new Transit van.
He retrieved the items after giving chase.
The man said there had been previous problems in the area with breaking and entering, lead being stripped from roofs and copper thefts.
The Courier told how a businessman’s plans to demolish a derelict factory site at Eastfield had to be abandoned when a group of Travelling people smashed their way into the private ground before setting up an illegal encampment.
The Travellers broke through a security fence and parked their caravans at the former Pico factory just minutes after being evicted from land at another location in the town.
Now the landowner, businessman Andrew Davie, faces a massive bill in costs as legal moves to evict the Travellers go ahead.
Yesterday Swedish-owned Glenrothes company Spectrogon UK Ltd, which evicted the Travellers from their land a short distance away at Southfield on Tuesday, said they were beefing up security by having trenches dug around their site to make sure the Travellers could not return.
Graeme Robb, general manager, said: “They arrived last Thursday and were gone by Wednesday.
“We had to go to court. We’ve not got the bill yet but between the court and the clear-up of their rubbish, the overall cost will be around £3,000.”
Mr Robb said once served with their eviction notice, the Travellers left without protest.
He added: “We have all this rubbish here and Fife Council are not responsible for cleaning it up. It’s us that have to clear it up.”
Glenrothes and Central Fife MP Lindsay Roy has been pushing for a greater police presence in the Eastfield area following the concerns of businesses.
He met police in Glenrothes on Wednesday night.
As reported by The Courier, he has hit out at the “sheer impotency” of the law when it comes to dealing with Travelling people.
He said it was as if they were “allowed to do what they like with total impunity”, adding Fife Council and the police seemed “virtually powerless” to act because of the policy of non-harrassment. Police Scotland confirmed the break-in at Bongos was being investigated.
Police were also giving “extra attention” to the Eastfield area following the arrival of the Travellers.
A spokesman said if people were concerned about security issues they were encouraged to raise them with police.
Fife Council has offered help to the landowner at Eastfield and advised him he will need to take his own legal action.
The Scottish Government has said the rights of the Gypsy/Traveller population to follow their traditions must be exercised responsibly.
Picture by George McLuskie