A facemask-wearing thief was caught three times in just 48 hours brazenly stealing electronics totalling £1,600 from stores in Aberdeen and Inverurie.
Peter Stewart tried to claim he was just the getaway driver but was caught on CCTV pushing trolley-loads of televisions and vacuum cleaners out of the shops.
The 36-year-old even blacked out the number plate of his Volkswagen Tiguan to avoid detection as he drove away from Currys and Asda, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Two-day shoplifting spree
Fiscal depute David Rogers said Stewart was caught on CCTV stealing goods on three occasions between November 3 and 4 2020.
The first theft happened at Asda on Jesmond Drive where Stewart and another male were spotted by security staff wearing facemasks and tracksuits entering separately at 9.40pm.
As the other man pushed two televisions and a games console past the tills and out the door, Stewart prevented the security guards from giving chase before running from the store and bundling the goods into the boot of the 4×4.
Less than 24 hours later, Stewart was at it again, this time from the Currys store at Berryden Retail Park.
“A staff member observed the accused, who was dressed in a navy Under Armour tracksuit with a grey woollen hat, drag two Shark vacuum cleaners out of the store without attempting to pay for them,” the court heard.
Painted over licence plate
He then bundled the goods into the same grey car from the day before and jumped into the passenger seat before making off with the goods worth £428. He was again caught on CCTV.
Just an hour later he targeted the Currys store at Inverurie Retail Park. He was spotted entering in the same tracksuit, hat and facemask and leaving the store with two televisions, worth £728.
Suspicious staff followed him to the grey Volkswagen and noted the licence plate had been covered over with black paint.
Two other unknown men remained inside “appearing to try and distract staff” before making off in the same vehicle with Stewart.
Stewart admitted three charges of theft by shoplifting.
Aberdeen shoplifter ‘was easily manipulated’
Given his previous convictions for crimes of dishonesty dating back to 2010, Sheriff Morag McLaughlin warned Stewart that jail was an option.
However, upon hearing of Stewart’s personal circumstances from defence agent Alex Burn, she spared him that fate.
Mr Burn suggested that Stewart’s part in the operation was “simply to drive the items away” but accepted that he was caught two out of three times pushing the goods from the store.
He added that the father-of-three is helping care for his children while his ex-partner battles health issues and that any imprisonment would have a huge impact on the family.
“He was easily manipulated,” the solicitor added. “He is eager to avoid custody.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin handed Stewart, of Ardgill Place, Foveran, a two-year supervision order and 150 hours of unpaid work.
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