A serial thief who targeted Aberdeen delivery drivers and stole vans full of parcels has been dispatched to jail.
Alexander McDonald even ploughed into one delivery man, carrying him on the bonnet of the van as he accelerated away.
The brave delivery driver, despite being injured, gave chase but could not keep up as McDonald, 42, sped away.
McDonald previously admitted a string of charges over the incidents, including theft of delivery vans from Holburn Street and Union Terrace, and sentence was deferred for reports.
Now, he has appeared back in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to learn his fate.
At an earlier hearing, McDonald, of HMP Grampian, admitted two charges of theft of a vehicle, two of driving without insurance and two of driving without a licence.
He also admitted dangerous driving and theft.
At that hearing, fiscal depute Carol Gammie told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the first delivery driver parked on Holburn Street in Aberdeen around 10am on November 4.
McDonald fled ‘taking the wheelie bin laden with parcels with him’
Ms Gammie said: “There were 31 undelivered parcels still in the van.
“He left the keys in the ignition, with the engine still running and the van insecure whilst he made his delivery.
“He saw the accused walking on the other side of the road before suddenly turning and walking towards the van.
“The accused then got into the vehicle and drove off.”
The delivery driver contacted the police who traced the stolen van outside an address on Garthdee Drive, however, the keys and parcels were gone.
In a separate incident, on November 25, another delivery driver started work at 8am, assisted by his partner.
He collected 50 parcels from Blacks Outdoor Shop around 1.45pm before going to Union Terrace to collect more parcels from Millets.
Accused sped off carrying delivery driver on van’s bonnet
They made “numerous trips” back and forth to Millets to load up the van while the woman remained in the passenger seat.
Ms Gammie told the court: “When she exited the vehicle to open the rear doors for her partner, they heard the vehicle start.
“The delivery driver looked in the window and saw the accused in the driver’s seat.
“He banged on the windscreen and shouted at the accused to get out of the van.
“The accused accelerated sharply causing the delivery driver to fall onto the bonnet.
“He was carried on the vehicle for approximately five seconds before he was thrown
from the van onto the road.”
The man managed to stay on his feet but struck his elbow, causing it to bleed heavily.
Despite the injury, he tried to run after the van as it turned left onto Union Street and went through a red light near Broad Street.
McDonald then ignored a “no entry” sign on entering Exchequer Row and was seen undertaking other drivers before being lost to view in the Shiprow area.
Ms Gammie said: “A CCTV operator at the City Wharf Offices saw the accused drive into the loading bay there.
‘Not first time McDonald has utilised a wheelie bin in committing theft’
“He assumed the accused was there to make a delivery but became suspicious when he moved a wheelie bin to the rear of the van and began throwing boxes out of the van towards the bin.
“The accused, after being spoken to by the security officer, left the area taking the wheelie bin laden with parcels with him.”
McDonald left the van in the loading bay where the delivery driver was able to trace it using a tracker device.
He then discovered his partner’s handbag and contents, including her iPhone, were missing, with a total value around £500.
Police later received a report of numerous items found in a communal hallway in a block of flats on Marquis Road.
On attending, they recovered packages containing items that had been in the stolen van, as well as the handbag and mobile phone.
McDonald was identified from CCTV.
‘Long record’ of dishonesty
Defence agent Lynn Bentley said her client was already serving an unrelated prison sentence with the earliest release date of May next year.
She said McDonald had a “long record” for offences of dishonesty, but a “limited” one for violence and public disorder matters.
Ms Bentley said McDonald suffers from “addiction problems” and explained the offences were not premeditated.
She went on: “I don’t think he had any plan.
“What would he have done with any of the parcels?
“He abandons them in a communal block.
“In the cold light of day, he knows it’s wrong.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin jailed him for 36 months consecutive to his current sentence.
She also imposed a 12-month supervised release order and a six-year driving ban.
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