An Angus town was blighted by a suspicious fire, political graffiti and car vandals during a weekend of trouble.
Arbroath was targeted in three separate incidents that saw a council garage destroyed causing £6,000 of damage in the early hours of Saturday morning, the same night numerous cars were vandalised.
The roof of the local authority lock-up in Millgate Loan caved in following the blaze, with two men seen in the area shortly before the fire was reported at around 3.40am.
Tayside Fire and Rescue attended the scene and safely extinguished the flames and police have now launched a probe into the incident.
Engineer Brian Soutar (59), who lives in the flats in the street, said there had been loud bangs as the fire took hold.
He added: ”The whole thing is destroyed and it looks like they will have to take the whole lot down. There was seemingly a lot of stuff in there and it just went up like a rocket.”
Debris was strewn across the remaining parts of the garage roof and the door was taped off by police until an examination of the scene could take place.
It is understood the garage was used by a local car boot sale trader and contained several valuable items.
Just hours before the blaze was called in, wing mirrors were smashed or ripped off a line of parked vehicles in the lower end of Brechin Road, near Montrose Road.
The damage took place between 11.30pm on Friday and 1am on Saturday morning, with officers making door-to-door inquiries with the car owners in the neighbourhood.
Police were unable to provide an exact number of cars targeted, but the repair bill is expected to run to a four-figure sum.
Following a second night of drama, officers were called to Victoria Park in the east of the town at 10.30am on Sunday morning after vandalism to the large gates was reported by a local resident.
Slogans were sprayed in red and blue on the white stone pillars, including the phrases ”No More F*** Oil”, ”Save Our Planet” and ”Revolution Is Now”.
A council worker at the scene said the graffiti had been put up overnight adding that it was likely the gates would now have to be completely repainted.
Angus Council neighbourhood services convener Donald Morrison criticised the perpetrators, branding their actions ”wanton vandalism”.
He said: ”It is sad we have had another weekend like this. These people don’t show any respect for other people’s property or for their own community.
”Somebody must have seen who was responsible for these incidents and I would urge anyone who did to contact the police.”
Arbroath councillor David Fairweather said the cost of repairing the ”mindless vandalism” would have to be met by the taxpayer.
He added: ”We need to think about what impression this gives to visitors coming into the town. Much work is being done to improve areas such as the West Links and Victoria Park and these sort of mindless acts do make you wonder why people would bother trying to make the town attractive.
”This will cost the council and the taxpayer hundreds and it is just not acceptable. I feel sorry for the police who could be out dealing with real emergencies, but instead are having their time taken up dealing with the likes of this.”
Police have appealed to anyone who may have witnessed any of the crimes to contact them on on 0300 111 2222 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.
Main photo Jim Ratcliffe