Ian Rankin is not a Burglar

Ian Rankin author of the best selling Rebus crime fiction novels found himself on the wrong side of the law recently when he was questioned by police at his home after a neighbour had reported someone acting suspiciously on his street.

Apparently two men had been seen walking down the road with bags full of computer gear and after circulating the suspect’s description to neighbours police were informed that their burglar sounded suspiciously like Ian Rankin

Cue a knock at Rankin’s front door

Two cops at the door. Someone suspicious in neighbourhood. ‘From the description, a neighbour thought it might be you.’ ?

— Ian Rankin (@Beathhigh) September 24, 2016

However fans of Rebus need not worry for future works as although the author was the suspicious person that had been seen hauling bags of electronics and computer equipment he did have a perfectly reasonable explanation.

I’d just been helping son move from his flat, so all cops could see behind me were boxes, stuffed bags and computer stuff. Suspicious? Moi?
— Ian Rankin (@Beathhigh) September 24, 2016

There we go, Rankin was simply being a good dad and helping his son move from his flat, apparently the two police officers “laughed off” the incident once they realised that the report was made by someone genuinely concerned, and that in fact it was all a simple misunderstanding; so Ian Rankin is not a burglar and we can all breathe a sigh of relief.