Businessman killed in double shooting

Published on Monday 25 October 2010 16:24

A MANHUNT was under way yesterday after a businessman was killed and another injured in a double shooting.

Police in Fife were called to flats in Forres Drive in Glenrothes at 9.25pm on Sunday where they found one man dead.

He was named last night as local businessman Mohammed Siddique, known locally as Toby.

It is thought that the property where his body was found is owned by Glenfoyle Properties, a company owned by the Siddique family. The family are also understood to have interests in the security and pub and club industries.

Another injured man was found outside and was taken to hospital by ambulance crews.

He suffered non-life threatening injuries and was shortly released.

Armed officers immediately cordoned off the street and began an investigation into what happened. A forensic team was examining the scene yesterday to try and piece together what took place.

They also cordoned off a telephone box at the bottom of the street and there was activity near to a van parked beside the flats with the logo Defence Four Security.

Last night, Superintendent Tom Ewing, head of community policing for Fife Constabulary, said a massive manhunt had been launched.

He said the force was keen to speak to a man described as being in his 30s, with short brown hair, of stocky build and wearing a dark-coloured zip-up jacket. Witnesses saw him shortly after the shooting.

He said: "We would like him to come forward so we can eliminate him from our enquiries.

"He was seen in close proximity to the block of flats.

"The area is one well known to police. But it's not one where this kind of violence is expected.

"Motive forms a major part of the investigation, but anything we said about that just now would be purely speculative. There is shock in the area, which is home to a wide mix of people.

"It has probably caused a lot of concern to the community that such an incident has occurred.

"However, there is no intelligence to suggest that this person is a danger to the general public."

"A high-profile police presence will be in the area to reassure members of the public and to continue the investigation.

Last night local residents gave their own accounts of the incident.

One woman said she spotted someone fleeing from the scene: "I saw a large man running down the street. It caught my attention because of the speed he was running."

Another said: "I thought it was fireworks going off because you usually hear them this time of year or someone taking their bins out.It's all a bit too close for comfort."

Another neighbour said: "You sometimes see someone hanging up their mobile and then going into the phone box.

"You can only assume what they're doing."

"About a week ago a policeman knocked on my door and said that someone had made a 999 call from the phone box."

When an elderly neighbour heard that the incident happened in one of the flats she said: "I'm not surprised. You hear a lot about drugs over there."

But another man was shocked about this happening on his doorstep. He said: "I can't believe it, it's frightening. I didn't hear anything. All I saw was a man being taken into an ambulance with a bandage around his head."

Councillor Peter Grant, councillor for Glenrothes West and Kinglassie, said of the incident: "I was shocked to hear of the brutal murder in Glenrothes yesterday.

"I know the police will be doing everything they can to reassure people and to make sure that whoever is responsible is caught and brought to justice. This person needs to be tracked down as soon as possible.

"I would urge anyone who has any information, however trivial it may seem, to contact the police or Crimestoppers immediately."