A thief smashed his way into an Aberdeen flat and stole £800 in change – before being caught on CCTV changing the money for notes at Sainsbury’s.
Andrew Allan, 54, forced open the door of the flat on Nelson Street – which is just metres from police station – and raided the property of cash and valuables.
But thief was caught on CCTV entering the building and leaving with a bag, and then again at a nearby shop exchanging hundreds of pounds in stolen coins for notes.
Fiscal depute Felicity Merson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “The locus is a top floor flat.
“At 11.10am on March 12 the homeowners’ grandson left the locus and locked it. Nobody else was within.
“At noon the homeowners returned and found the door had been forced open and damaged.
“On entering the locus they noticed a tub was lying empty on the floor and £600 in coins had been stolen from it.
“They also noticed that a large glass bottle had been smashed and a £50 note and £200 in coins from from it.
“A necklace and earrings worth £200 and a green Marks & Spencer cool bag had also been stolen.
“A number of drawers in the living room appeared to have been rummaged through although nothing was missing.
“Police were contacted.
“Police carried out CCTV inquiries which showed the accused entering the block of flats containing the locus.
“He remained within for 25 minutes and left carrying a green bag which the homeowners later identified as the bag which ad been stolen.
“Further CCTV footage showed the accused exchanging coins for notes in a nearby Sainsbury’s.”
Mrs Merson told the court a search warrant was executed at Allan’s home address but none of the items were recovered.
In interview he predominantly replied “no comment” but Mrs Merson said he “did tell the police he was elsewhere at the material time and that the coins he was seen exchanging were coins he had saved up”.
The damage to the door at the flat was valued at around £100.
Allan pled guilty to a charge of theft by housebreaking.
Defence solicitor John Hardie said his client had a “long and serious” record, adding: “That record reflects a life-long drug problem, particularly with crack cocaine.”
Mr Hardie said his client fell back into drug addiction following a bereavement and was “stealing to fund that habit”, adding the offence was “driven by addiction which has dogged him for decades”.
He said: “He is rightly and properly ashamed of himself.
“He apologises to the householders.”
The solicitor said the money, which was mostly £1 and £2 coins, was “immediately used to buy crack cocaine”.
Sheriff Philip Mann told Allan, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, he had a “dreadful record”, adding: “There’s clearly no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
He jailed him for 30 months.
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