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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Daisy Lester

Cars set alight and daubed with racist graffiti in hate crime attack

Photograph: Courtesy: Loanhead Car Sales

Four cars were torched and daubed in racist graffiti on Saturday at a car dealership garage in Midlothian, Scotland.

Police are treating the attack that took place in the early hours of Saturday morning at Loanhead Car Sales as a hate crime. 

The vehicles, including two vans, were set alight after being covered with racist words including “P**i” at the car dealership– the alarm was raised and emergency services attended the scene.

Speaking toThe Daily Record, business co-owner Rajvir Singh Janjua is now counting the cost with some £30,000 worth of damage done. 

“This is a hate crime. They have written these words just to be racist… I am absolutely disgusted and I just don’t understand why anyone would ever do anything like this,” he said.

According to Janjua, the business was subject to another racist attack in August 2018.

A graffitied wall at the car dealership (Supplied)

Reports suggest the incident took place around 5:10am on Saturday with Police Scotland adding there were no injuries.

As inquiries continue, Detective Constable John Lumsden said: "Due to racist graffiti on the vehicles, we are currently treating this as a hate crime.”

He added: "I am appealing to anyone who may have been driving in the area at the time of the incident to get in touch if they have any information or dash-cam footage which may assist with our investigation.

"We are also keen to speak to anyone who was in the area or who witnessed the fire."

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