A career criminal has been jailed after he raided a Banchory carwash by breaking open self-service valeting machines with a crowbar.
Robert Merchant, who has numerous convictions dating back to 1985, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted repeatedly forcing open the machines and stealing more than £200.
The total damage the 54-year-old caused to the machines was valued at £1,000.
When police attended at Merchant’s partner’s address looking for him they found a large amount of jewellery that was stolen during a recent housebreaking.
Fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar told the court that at around 12.20pm on October 2 2021 Merchant was seen outside Ultra Clean Valeting, in Burn O’Bennie Road, Banchory.
He was seen inspecting the machines before returning 25 minutes later with a crowbar which he used to force open a number of the locked panels.
On this occasion, Merchant managed to get away with £200 and caused damage estimated at between £500 to £1,000.
More than a year later, on October 22 and after he had been released from a prison sentence, Merchant tried his luck again at the same carwash, turning up with a crowbar at around 10.40pm.
After failing to gain entry to an office, Merchant again ripped open the locked panels of the machines, but due to the self-service machines being changed to card-operated, he only made off with £10.
Stolen items discovered by officers
On November 1 2022 police went to the home of Merchant’s partner in an attempt to trace him and found him there and a number of bags in his possession.
Inside the bags, officers discovered items stolen from a break-in on October 27 2022, including a red beaded necklace, a silver rose necklace, a pearl necklace, a silver pendant, a watch and a pair of earrings.
The crowbar used in the carwash thefts was also found at the property.
Merchant pleaded guilty to three charges of forcing open lockfast coin-operated machine and one charge of attempting to force open the office door of Ultra Clean Valeting.
He also admitted to one charge of being in possession of stolen goods.
Defence agent Neil McRobert told the court that Merchant had been released from prison and “felt there was no support available” in terms of his previous drug misuse.
“He returned to drugs quite quickly and he committed these offences to fund that,” Mr McRobert said.
“The values are relatively low, but he accepts there’s only one realistic disposal open to the court, and that is a period of imprisonment.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace told Merchant: “I will simply deal with this matter by imposing a backdated prison sentence that takes into account you’re course of conduct and your record.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace sentenced Merchant, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, to 18 months in prison, backdated to November 2022.
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