A would-be car thief refused to get out of the vehicle when caught red-handed by police – then claimed he thought it was his.
Steven Whyte was spotted standing next to a woman’s car shouting and banging at around 11.25pm on Brimmondside, Bucksburn.
The woman who owned the vehicle then saw the 29-year-old sitting in the driver’s seat and immediately called the police.
Officers wasted no time in racing to the scene and caught Whyte still at the wheel, only for him to refuse to get out.
And when he did emerge, Whyte claimed to have mistakenly believed the car was his, despite having smashed a window.
Police attended ‘almost instantly’
Fiscal depute Dylan Middleton told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “At around 11.25 the female heard a male shouting outside and saw the accused at the offside of her car and could hear banging.
“She moved to an upstairs bedroom to get a better view and noticed the accused now in the driver’s seat of her car.
“She contacted police to report the incident.
“Police almost instantly attended and traced the car, with the accused still in the driver’s seat.
Accused handed driving ban
“The accused refused to exit the vehicle.
“Officers noticed a rear window had been smashed.
“He advised police he’d mistaken it for his car.”
Whyte, of Cloverleaf Grange, Bucksburn, pled guilty to attempting to steal the vehicle on February 18 last year, as well as a separate charge of driving while unfit through drink or drugs.
Defence agent Lynn Bentley said her client had previously been involved in a crash that affected him physically and meant he struggled to hold down employment.
She said his mental health had also deteriorated.
Ms Bentley added Whyte had taken too much of his prescribed medication and accepted his ability to drive was impacted as a result.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge banned Whyte from driving for a year and handed him a year-long supervision order and a 70-day curfew.