Business padlocks targeted by vandal dubbed 'the superglue bandit'

A vandal dubbed the “superglue bandit” has glued several outdoor padlocks and keypads in an Edinburgh business park.

Police have issued an appeal after the man, who has been caught on CCTV, targeted several businesses in Anderson Place last week.

Staff from Edinburgh Woollen Mill were unable to access their carpark after finding the padlock to their gates super-glued on the morning of Tuesday, January 4.

After speaking to other businesses in the area, they discovered the vandal, nicknamed “the superglue bandit”, had targeted various other premises in the area, including events venue The Biscuit Factory, and business venue Pure Offices.

The general manager of Edinburgh Woollen Mill said it was “ridiculous” the disruption the vandalism caused, and revealed they had to pay £380 for a solvent to unlock the gate.

They said: “We have a huge car park, and it gets rented out to Edinburgh tourist buses that park there overnight.

“Last week we’ve went to open up the car park at half five in the morning and we’ve discovered that both padlocks have been superglued.

“The buses couldn’t get in or out.

“We had to go and get a solvent to open it, and it cost us £380 pounds.

“We discovered that it also happened to the business across the street, and to Edinburgh arts.

“I also heard a story about a local pub owner in the area having to break into his own pub due to superglue.

“It must have affected about five businesses in the area.

“It’s ridiculous, the disruption it caused that morning was unbelievable.

“We discovered he’s been named the superglue bandit.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers are carrying out enquiries into reckless conduct after locks were superglued at a business premises in Anderson Place in Edinburgh recently.

Anyone who knows who is responsible should contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting 1689 of January 4, 2022.”