By Christine Lavelle
MANIACS are laying potentially lethal traps across roads in Fife sparking fears someone will be killed unless those responsible are stopped.
Detectives are hunting the culprits after the latest incident in which a lamppost stolen from a building site was stretched across a busy route and struck by at least two cars.
Police also revealed that a previous incident just a short distance away involved a tree trunk being set up in exactly the same way – after it was sawn down for the deadly prank.
Councillor Peter Grant, who represents Glenrothes West and Kinglassie, said: “This is an act of unbelievable stupidity that could easily have led to someone being killed.
“It’s essential that whoever was responsible is identified and brought to justice before they have the chance to do this again.
“I would urge anyone who knows anything about this to contact the police immediately.”
The latest alert was raised shortly after Midnight today after two shocked two drivers hit a lamp post which police say had been deliberately placed on the busy B921 in Glenrothes.
A 39-year-old local man hit the post first head on while driving a Kia, and quickly pulled over with his hazard warning lights flashing to try and steer others away from the danger.
But – just two minutes later – a woman aged 55 from Kirkcaldy hit the same lamp post with her blue Citreon car after thinking it was simply a white painted line on the road.
Neither driver was hurt – but both of their vehicles were left with damage to their undersides.
The lamp post – which was was brand new – had been stored at a nearby building site waiting to be erected.
A spokesman for Fife Police said: “The first driver hit the lamp post and quickly pulled over with their hazard lights on.
“A second car hit a couple of minutes later and they reported it to us.
“That part of the road is not lit by streetlights, making this sort of thing even more dangerous.
“Both drivers were very shocked as a consequence.”
Police revealed that just three weeks ago, a tree was deliberately cut down and placed on the A92 on August 3, just a few miles from the most recent incident.
A 52-year-old woman from Freuchie was driving her Kia car northward on the dual carriageway between Bankhead and Preston roundabouts when she struck the tree at around 11pm.
The trunk had been laid across the inside lane and an investigation at the scene determined that the tree – which was between 30-40ft in length – had been chopped down on purpose, and left to fall across the road.
The police spokesman said: “The woman was not hurt but she got the fright of her life when she hit the tree.
“It is extremely dangerous and the fact that these incidents have happened within about two miles of each other just shows that there are idiots out there that think this sort of thing is funny.
“This is not a quiet little road we are talking about – the A92 is extremely busy as it is the main route from Kirkaldy to Dundee.”
Local Area Chief Inspector Derek Finnie said: “This is the second such incident to happen on a Glenrothes dual carriageway in the last fortnight.
“Clearly the consequences for a driver of striking large objects in the carriageway are very serious.
“In this incident neither driver was injured but such reckless conduct by the person(s) responsible could easily have led to them being hurt.
He added: “I would appeal to any person who witnessed any suspicious behaviour in the area or knows the identity of the persons involved to call Fife Police.”
Contact numbers for the Fife force are 0845 600 5702 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where all calls are treated anonymously.
