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Mystery surrounds the movements of Rafal Michal Lyko, whose charred remains were found by firefighters after they quelled the flames from a blazing Mercedes last Monday.

Man found in burning car stolen from Oxgangs identified by police

Police Scotland launched a murder-style investigation within hours of the gruesome find and described the death as “suspicious” while they awaited the results of forensic examinations conducted to confirm the victim’s identity.

On Sunday, they named Mr Lyko, 36, as the victim and confirmed he had been slain before the GLE Inferno SUV was torched near to a public park in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, on Monday.

Mr Lyko, a father-of-one, flew into Edinburgh Airport on February 9th before travelling to Tayside to visit relatives.

The distinctive black Mercedes was stolen from an address in Oxgangs on January 24 and was reported to have been spotted in Morningside for several days after.

Detectives have refused to say if Mr Lyko was involved in organised crime but it is understood they are probing potential links with the underworld.

They want to know how he managed to be inside the high-value Mercedes when it was set on fire. Police Scotland has not revealed if he was alive or dead when it was set ablaze.

Detective Chief Inspector Davie Scott of the Major Investigation Team said: “We are issuing a photo of Rafal and are hoping that anyone who remembers seeing him will contact us.

“We have had a good response from our appeals to date, but we still need to piece together Rafal’s last known movements.

“He arrived at Edinburgh Airport on Saturday 9th February from his home in Poland. From there he travelled to the Tayside area to visit relatives.

“Officers are working hard to gather as much information on Rafal’s death and work out where he then travelled to after that. We are keen to speak to anyone who has any knowledge of Rafal’s movements after Saturday 9th February.”

Det Ch Insp Scott added: “The Mercedes GLE car he was found in is undergoing extensive forensic examination and officers are continuing to track it from when it was stolen from the Oxgangs Road area of Edinburgh on Thursday 24th January 2019 to when it was seen in South Lanarkshire on Monday 11 February 2019.

““On that Monday morning it was seen near East Kilbride town centre. We believe the vehicle was later in the Halfway area of Cambuslang before it was found on fire near Greenhall Park, Blantyre.

“I would urge anyone who recognises Rafal, or who saw him after Saturday the 9th of February to contact us.

“Any small piece of information on his movements or the car involved could be vital to our investigation”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting reference number 3663 of 11th February 2019. Alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.

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Polish man found dead in burning car stolen from Oxgangs was murdered