A yob who was seen booting the door of an Aberdeen flat and throwing a brick at a window told a witness he’d just locked himself out.
Wojciech Mularewicz clambered into the flat through a window and escaped with hundreds of pounds worth of electronics, cash and a gold necklace of sentimental value.
But despite his brazen bluff to try and fool the eyewitness, the 31-year-old was caught after his DNA was found on an eight-inch knife he left at the scene.
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the occupant of the flat, who had previously been friends with, had left at 9.15am on May 14 2020 and secured the Marischal Street property.
‘He watched as the accused climbed into the flat’
Around 2.30pm the same day, a witness spotted Mularewicz kicking the rear door of the flat, on Theatre Lane and “saw him throw a brick at a window”.
Mularewicz was also seen to be holding a knife around eight inches long.
Ms Simpson said: “The witness asked the accused what he was doing and he said he’d locked himself out.
“He watched as the accused climbed into the flat.”
Police were contacted.
The flat’s occupant returned home at 4.40pm and noticed the bathroom door was open and part of the window was missing.
The following items were stolen:
- A laptop worth £100
- A North Face backpack worth £50
- Two bottles of aftershave worth £120 each
- A smartwatch worth £70
- Another watch worth £100
- A gold necklace with sentimental value
- £80 in cash
Police found a knife on the window sill which, when tested, was found to have Mularewicz’s DNA on it.
No explanation given in court for break-in
Officers also discovered the stolen smartwatch at Mularewicz’s home.
Mularewicz, of Greig Court, Aberdeen, pled guilty to charges of theft by housebreaking and possession of a knife.
Defence agent David Sutherland his client suffered from poor mental health and had misused drugs and alcohol when he came to Aberdeen aged 19.
Mr Sutherland made reference to a court-ordered social work report containing an explanation as to why his client broke into the flat, but did not state why in open court.
Sheriff William Summers ordered Mularewicz to be jailed for a total of 18 months.
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