Man attacked with machete at family farm

15 April 2018, 06:20 | Updated: 15 April 2018, 06:22

A man was struck on the leg with a machete and held in a bedroom with his wife and son while robbers ransacked their home.

Police said the family feared for their lives during their ordeal at Castlehill Farm near the National Museum of Rural Life just outside East Kilbride in the early hours of Saturday.

The family, a 55-year-old man, his 56-year-old wife and their son, 26, were woken at around 4am to the sound of smashing glass in the property.

When they went downstairs to investigate they encountered four men who threatened them with violence and demanded they hand over money and valuables.

One of the men struck the 55-year-old on the leg with a machete and the family were then held in an upstairs bedroom while the robbers stole cash, jewellery and car keys.

The suspects left the house around 20 minutes later and joined another man who was waiting outside in a black Nissan Qashqai.

They also stole the family's black Range Rover and damaged the front of the vehicle while driving away.

The suspects drove off along Carmunnock bypass and then towards Croftfoot Road and Blairbeth Road, before abandoning the Range Rover in the Mount Vernon area of Glasgow.

Police are appealing for information about the robbery in the Kittochside area.

Detective Sergeant Alan MacDonald, from Cambuslang CID, said: "This group of despicable individuals completely terrorised this family and made threats of extreme violence, which made them genuinely fear for their lives throughout the ordeal.

"They have been left absolutely traumatised and it is vital that we trace the criminals responsible for this abhorrent incident.

"The house is in an isolated location, near to the Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area in the early hours of this morning and may have noticed a black Nissan Qashqai to please get in touch.

"I would also ask anyone who saw a black Nissan Qashqai or black Range Rover driving along the route described above following the incident to come forward.

"Any motorists with dashcams who were driving in the area around 4.30am are urged to contact police as they may have captured footage of the suspects making off from the scene."

Officers were called to the farm at around 4.30am after the suspects left.

The injured man did not need medical treatment.

One of the suspects is described as being in his early 20s with a local accent and was wearing a grey hoodie with his face covered.

The rest of the men are described as having local accents and wearing dark clothing with scarves/balaclavas covering their faces.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cambuslang CID via 101, quoting incident number 0782 of Saturday April 14, 2018.

Alternatively they can call CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111 where details can be given in confidence.