Police are searching for a masked man who deliberately threw petrol in to a cafe while people were inside.
The suspect, a man dressed all in black with a mask covering his face, ran into Rocco's Cafe on Brandon Street in Hamilton and threw the liquid onto the floor at around 12.30pm.
He was disturbed by staff and passing police officers and ran off towards Strathmore Road near the council building then out of sight of officers.
No one was injured as a result of the incident but staff have been left shaken by what happened.
Police are treated it as a targeted attack on the cafe but have yet to establish a motive.
Detective Inspector Jamie Campbell, Hamilton CID, said: “Thankfully no one was hurt by this attack but if he had managed to light the accelerant then this could have caused significant harm to the staff and damage to the building.
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“Although no motive has been established for this attack, we believe that, for whatever reason, the café was the intended target.
“The suspect was around 6ft tall, of slim build, with fair hair and was seen carrying a petrol can.
“We have been checking CCTV and speaking to those in the area at the time and would further appeal to any motorists with dash-cams who may have been in the area between 12pm and 12.40pm. They may have captured footage that may assist officers with their enquiries.
“We’d also like to hear from anyone who may have seen the man either around that time also. It’s possible he had been hanging about the area prior to the attack on the café.
"Any information can be passed to officers at Hamilton Police Station via 101. Please quote reference number 1700 of Thursday, 19 May, 2022 when calling. Alternatively, details can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
