A businessman whose home was one of five targeted by fireraisers in seven days has warned the culprits: “We will catch you.”
Alan Macrae had recently seen work completed on a plush summer house with a fully fitted bar at his home in Bothwell, Lanarkshire, when it was torched on May 11.
It was one of three houses targeted in the upmarket village of Bothwell.
Fires were also started at the homes of restaurateur James Mortimer and millionaire PPI claims firm boss Stephen McCann.
A house in the west end of Glasgow was also targeted and extensive damage was caused early on Wednesday at the home of Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell in Thorntonhall, near Glasgow.
Furious Macrae, who owns Coatbridge-based Avia Signs, condemned the attackers on Facebook.
He posted: “To the scumbags who burnt down my bar last night, I look forward to meeting you when we catch you, and we will catch you.”
Builders proudly displayed their work on Macrae’s summer house after completing it in March.
A friend of Macrae told the Record he did not know of any links to the other fireraising attacks.
The pal said: “Alan was really proud of his bar and so were the builders and it got rave reviews locally because it was as deluxe a man-cave as you could wish for.
“It remains a mystery who did this and he is still hopeful that whoever is responsible is caught.”
Macrae’s business recently carried out work for Rangers, replacing large signs that were targeted by vandals.
He lists himself as a Rangers fan on his LinkedIn page. Avia has also done work at Motherwell FC’s stadium.
Police Scotland have not linked the attack on Macrae’s home to others, saying: “Inquiries into the fire, which detectives are treating as wilful, are ongoing.”
The Record told yesterday how five firebomb incidents on upmarket homes and luxury cars had happened within three days in the Glasgow area.
At about 10.40pm on Monday, a £264,000 Rolls-Royce Cullinan was torched on the drive of entrepreneur McCann in Croftbank Avenue, Bothwell.
He is boss of PPI Scotland, which made a fortune chasing compensation for people wrongly mis-sold insurance.
Police believe the same offenders returned the next day at about 2pm, striking at the nearby home of James Mortimer, who owns the Rogano restaurant in Glasgow.
An accelerant was used to set the blaze alight.
At about 11pm on Monday, a similar attack was carried out at Cleveden Drive in Glasgow’s west end, and the raiders struck the same property again the following night.
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