South Lanarkshire crime: Shopkeeper, 53, 'slashed' by hooded man in early morning attack in residential area

A 53-year-old shopkeeper has been left with serious injuries after being “slashed” with a blade while emptying rubbish outside his store on Sunday morning.

The man was approached by his attacker at around 8.50am while he was putting rubbish in the bins beside his shop on Coalburn Road, Lanark.

Officers said the male suspect, who is described as 6ft and of a slim build, had been hiding nearby for two hours prior to the attack. After slashing the shopkeeper, he ran off towards Dunns Crescent.

The injured shopkeeper was taken to to Wishaw General Hospital, were his condition is reported as stable.

Officers are now appealing for further information about the attack.

They said the suspect was wearing black jogging bottoms, a black north face hooded top with white writing, a black snood, white trainers and orange gloves.

The man was rushed to hospital after the attack on Coalburn Road in Lanark | Google Maps

Detective Constable Alison Geal, Lanarkshire CID, said: “From our enquiries so far, we believe this attack to be totally unprovoked but that the person who was attacked was the target of the suspect.

“Officers have been checking CCTV from the area and we know that the man had been hiding in nearby bushes and to the side of the shop for at least two hours before the shopkeeper emerged from the store.

“We have a limited description of the suspect’ as the hood of his jacket and snood he was wearing covered almost the whole of his face.

“This was a nasty attack. There appears to have been no attempt by the suspect to enter the store.

“The shop is in the middle of a residential area overlooked by numerous homes. Officers are in the area, but we’d appeal to anyone who may have doorbell footage, or dash cam, to contact police.

“We believe the suspect knows the area. He may be local.

Anyone with information can call police via 101, quote incident number 1074 of Sunday, September 7.