A man has admitted carrying out a botched £20,000 raid on a city-centre jewellery store.
Daniel Koterbski targeted Northern Diamond in Aberdeen’s Union Street shortly after owner Oscar Ozdaslar opened for business.
The 37-year-old grabbed two rings and a bracelet from a window display, before Mr Ozdaslar wrestled with him to try to stop him fleeing with the stock.
Koterbski admitted attempting to steal the goods when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.
And last night, Mr Ozdaslar revealed he had been suffering from nightmares since the incident on August 5 – and said the would-be thief should go to jail.
The shopkeeper, who was alone in the premises when it was targeted, said: “I’ve had nightmares and don’t sleep very well.
“I dream about the shutters opening, someone coming in, the safe being empty. I never used to dream about the shop before, but it’s something that has left deep marks.
“It’s been six months and it’s no better, I have an appointment with my doctor about it.
“It’s made me more suspicious of people.”
Koterbski, of Flat A, 11 Seaton Drive, Aberdeen, was originally accused of theft, but at yesterday’s hearing the charge against him was reduced to attempted theft.
Mr Ozdaslar said he was disappointed by the decision, as the jewellery had not been recovered.
During Koterbski’s appearance at court yesterday, fiscal depute Anne McDonald said: “There were three items of jewellery – a bracelet valued at £8,000 and two rings, one valued at £9,000 and one valued at £3,000.”
After the incident last year, Mr Ozdaslar told the Press and Journal he had tried desperately to stop Koterbski from making off with the haul.
He said that when Koterbski walked into his shop on August 5, he recognised him as he had been in a few days earlier claiming to be looking for a necklace for his girlfriend.
He went to help him, adding: “I went to put the protection boards down (on the windows) and he said ‘no, I want to see this one’ at the other window.
“But while I went there, he grabbed something and I saw him. I said ‘what are you doing?’ and I walked over to him.
“He whipped his hand back and I saw two tickets for my rings and my bracelet in his hand.
“I grabbed him. We started at the window and wrestled out of the door. I fell down in front of the door, then I ran behind him shouting ‘help, help, help’.”
Sheriff Graeme Napier deferred sentence until next month for background reports.
