“Everything completely destroyed” — Owners count cost after “worst” vandalism

A greenhouse was “completely destroyed” after being set on fire during one of the worst vandalism attacks ever seen in Dundee.

The shed was set ablaze as part of a vandalism spree which saw tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage carried out to allotment plots and cars in the Law and Hilltown areas on Sunday.

Bashir Ahmed, whose son Manir had only recently taken ownership of his plot beside the Law, said there was nothing left of his son’s shed and its contents.

He said: “Everything in the shed has been completely destroyed.

“I have had my plot on this site for over eight years, but my son has only had his greenhouse for about a year.

“This is not the first time I have had to tidy up after my plot has been vandalised and the police do not seem to be able to do anything about it.

“My son has no insurance for the shed, and it has been burned to the ground.

“He is only available to tend to his plot at weekends, so I don’t know whether or not he will be able to rebuild it.”

Whole greenhouses were smashed with rocks and hammers during the attack, and some of the prize plants had been ripped up from their beds.

The damage appears to have been perpetrated by a gang youths, described as being in their mid-teens.

It is understood they were wearing football tops at the time of the incident.

Peter Kemp turned up to one of the greenhouses he tends to find the window panes destroyed.

Peter has kept a plot with his wife at the site for years, and described the devastation wrought across the allotment as the worst he had ever seen.

He said: “My wife and I have tended to our plot here for as long as I can remember.

“We have had problems with random acts of vandalism over the years, but never to this extent.

“This is the worst it has ever been. I have spent a full day clearing away all of the bits of broken glass and it will cost hundreds of pounds to repair the damage.”

A spokesperson for Scottish Fire and Rescue said: “We responded to a call at 4.12am on Sunday July 3, and one hose-reel was used to extinguish a fire to two sheds at the allotments on the side of the Law.”

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Police attended a number of reports of damage to vehicles in the Kinnloch Terrace and Stirling Terrace area and several allotments also sustained damage. Investigations are still ongoing.”