Police are investigating a deliberate car fire at a garage near Glasgow amid mounting concerns about a resurgence of gangland violence in the city.
The vehicle was set alight at Kelvinside Motor Company in Kirkintilloch at 22:55 on Saturday. This incident occurred just days after officers responded to a disturbance at the same location. According to local reporting, the garage had previously been targeted in a fire attack in April of the previous year, which was investigated as part of Operation Portaledge, the police probe into organised gangland activity.
Police Scotland confirmed there were no injuries in the latest incident and stated officers were keeping an open mind regarding potential links to Operation Portaledge. A force spokesperson said:
The fire is being treated as wilful and inquiries are ongoing.
The blaze comes within 24 hours of police confirming they were investigating a separate incident in which a vehicle crashed into a residential property in Eaglesham, south of Glasgow. According to Police Scotland's public statement, officers were called to the property on Low Borland Way at approximately 13:20 on Friday, 21 August 2026. The vehicle struck the property and then drove off before police cordoned off the area.
The brick wall of the house, situated in a quiet cul-de-sac of detached homes, was caved in near the front door with smoke marks visible on the upper floor. The property remained protected by temporary fencing following the incident.
What is Operation Portaledge?
Operation Portaledge is the police investigation into violent organised-crime activity across Glasgow and Edinburgh that began in March 2025, following assaults, shootings and arson incidents. The operation has been examining a gang feud that generated 84 separate violent incidents across the central belt.
Last month, Police Scotland announced that the ongoing feud had come to an end. The force stated Operation Portaledge had resulted in dozens of arrests and there was a
resolution of differencesbetween rival groups. However, reporting suggested a potential flare-up of violence, with the Lyons crime family allegedly ordering attacks on rival members of the Daniel clan.
The original trouble began in Edinburgh in March 2025 and led to a series of fire bombings and attempted murders. The feud has been linked to a fallout between Ross McGill, the former head of Rangers FC's fan group the Union Bears, and Edinburgh drug dealer Mark Richardson, who is currently in prison.
Recent escalation and court outcomes
A resurgence of violence in January and February 2026 prompted another wave of arrests. Several Operation Portaledge cases that have proceeded to court have resulted in substantial prison sentences.
Arran Reid was imprisoned for eight years and four months after admitting to carrying out a machete attack on an Edinburgh businessman linked to Richardson. Additionally, four men were jailed or detained for a combined total of 25 years over a series of fire attacks in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell characterised the situation as
a deeply concerning war between rivals.
Pattern of recent incidents
The current incidents are part of a broader pattern of violence in the Glasgow area. In recent weeks, a car was deliberately driven into a house and set on fire in Glasgow's Netherton area, with police seeking witnesses. Additionally, a car and police van were set ablaze following a street fight involving armed men, resulting in hospitalisation and arrests. Police have also been investigating an attempted murder after a car was deliberately driven at a 22-year-old man in Glasgow's Dougrie Road area, with the victim hospitalised with serious injuries.
What happens next
Police enquiries into both the garage fire and the Low Borland Way crash are continuing. No court date, arrest announcement or next hearing has been published in relation to either incident at this stage.
Key Facts
- A car was deliberately set alight at Kelvinside Motor Company in Kirkintilloch at 22:55 on Saturday; the same garage was targeted in a fire attack in April 2025
- Within 24 hours, a vehicle crashed into a house on Low Borland Way in Eaglesham, East Renfrewshire, on Friday at approximately 13:20; the vehicle then drove off
- Operation Portaledge has investigated 84 violent incidents linked to a gang feud across Glasgow and Edinburgh since March 2025, resulting in dozens of arrests and lengthy prison sentences
- Police Scotland stated in July 2026 that the feud had ended following a resolution between rival groups, but recent incidents suggest a potential resurgence
- No injuries were reported in either the garage fire or the house crash incident
