Pizza restaurant appeal after capturing violent thug on camera

Head chef/Partner Marc Donkin with the Wanted poster at Wildmanwood. Picture; Ian Georgeson

CCTV cameras captured the moment the yob struck in the early hours at Wildmanwood pizza in Marshall Street.

Now owners have plastered the footage around town urging people to help them “find this loser”.

Wildmanwood manager Simon Donne said: “It’s a real shame for us to have to fork out £1000 just for this idiot with issues to kick the window in.”

Under the headline “wanted for vandalism”, the poster pledges an amnesty, reading: “He pays for damage or criminal record.”

Mr Donne said: “We are ultimately looking for him to come forward and pay for it and we won’t press charges.”

Wildmanwood, based near Potterow, reported the attack to police shortly after 1.25am on Wednesday, March 1.

“I understand of all the things going on, this is not the priority at this moment of time, but it’s cost us business and money,” said Mr Donne.

High-quality footage shows the moment five friends appear in front of the restaurant.

After trying to pull off a window slide, one of the men kicks out at the pane of glass. What looks like a heated exchange then follows between him and his friends.

“He tried to pull the wooden slide off and his friends just ignore him,” said Mr Donne. “He runs up and breaks the window – it’s really pathetic.

“One of the chaps stands and shouts at him for two minutes – it looks like they might come to blows, but then another pulls him away.

“His friends walk away and he tries to follow them, but they turn around and tell him to ‘eff off’ so he goes the other way.”

Mr Donne said it was the first act of vandalism the restaurant has suffered since opening in June last year.

Wildmanwood specialises in Neapolitan pizza and Venetian sharing plates, boasting a wood oven and open kitchen.

The poster asks anyone who might know the man responsible to email [email protected].

And Mr Donne has offered a reward of a free meal and bottle of wine to anyone who helps identify the perpetrator.

“We had CCTV put in because the area has been fairly rundown for a while, but it’s not a bad area,” said Mr Donne.

“It’s ensuring that if something like this does happen, we have some type of footage. This is the only time it’s happened and it’s disappointing.

“We’re just a small, independent business, not ruled by a head office down south but striving to improve the offering in the city.”

A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed officers are appealing for witnesses.

“Police are investigating after a restaurant in Marshall Street sustained damage to its window during the early hours of Wednesday March 1,” added the spokesman.

Inquiries are ongoing and anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or make an anonymous report to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

[email protected]