Man in court after Drumnadrochit firearm drama probe
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A MAN appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court today (Wed) charged in connection with an alleged armed robbery that rocked the quiet Loch Ness-side village of Drumnadrochit.
He was named as Ali Akguc (35) from London. He made no plea during the brief hearing and no application for bail was made on his behalf.
Police including several armed response officers swooped on a private home in the village’s Coilte Crescent about 10pm on Sunday after receiving a call for help.
As a forensics team carried out investigations, and officers made door-to-door inquiries, in and around the semi-detached bungalow in Coilte Crescent, police said a man had entered the house with what appeared to be a firearm and demanded money from the occupant.
The drama then took a new twist as police at Inverness confirmed that a man had been arrested in connection with the incident in the flood-hit Cumbria area.
The home is occupied by businessman Kenan Cetiner from Turkey, and his wife Lisa Ann, a local woman.
Mr Cetiner, who runs a canal-side fish and chip shop and a restaurant in Fort Augustus about 20 miles from his home, was away at the time of the incident.
A police spokesman said a four-figure sum of money was reported to have been taken from the address, but no firearms were discharged and no-one was injured as a result of the incident.
The high visibility police presence that was in the village on Monday has been scaled down.
A door at the side of the semi-detached single storey home had been boarded up.
Police area commander Julian Innes yesterday sought to reassure people in the north following the incident.
Chief Inspector Innes said: "Events like this are rare in the Highlands and it is believed this was not a random incident."
Drumnadrochit-based businessman Willie Cameron said: "The place was crawling with police. It was certainly a wee bit out of the ordinary as far as Drumnadrochit was concerned, but I suppose it is a sign of the times."
Police remain keen to hear from members of the public who may have seen any suspicious activity in the area prior to the incident or who may have seen a silver VW Passat in the area earlier that day. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
