A thief who targeted beauty salons stealing hair straighteners and fake tan also broke into a home while the occupant slept, a court has heard.
Allan Smith forced entry to Too Glam Beauty, House of Beauty and Heather Hair Design on Milburn Road, Inverness, and later targeted Sheer Perfection on Alness’ High Street stealing items including fake tan, hair straighteners and cash.
But after he broke into a home in Alness while the occupant slept, officers spotted a stolen bike at his partner’s home and connected the dots, with forensics later linking him to the salon break-ins.
Smith, 43, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to plead guilty to three charges of theft by housebreaking.
Fiscal depute Pauline Gair told the court that on August 3 2021 the owner of Too Glam Beauty arrived at work to discover the door had been forced and a cashbox containing £120 stolen.
House of Beauty, another business operating from the premises, had also been targeted with an iPad, a digital radio, fake tan and hair straighteners missing.
Neigbouring salon Heather Hair Design had also been broken into and hair straighteners and cash were taken.
Man woke to thief in home
The following day at around 7am, a householder at an address in Alness was woken by the “noise of someone rummaging downstairs”.
“He got up and saw a male standing in the doorway to his living room. Words were exchanged and the intruder was noted to have a Glaswegian-sounding accent, was wearing black clothing black cap and appeared to be holding a green handled saw,” Mrs Gair said.
After the intruder fled the scene, the homeowner discovered that items, including a mountain bike, guitars and a Nintendo Switch – with a total value over £2,000, had been taken, along with his work ID and work keys.
“Entrance had been gained in the property by smashing a small panel of glass of the back door, reaching in and turning the key in the lock,” Mrs Gair explained.
Three days after this, the owner of another salon, Sheer Perfection, in Alness, arrived at work to discover it had been broken into.
“He observed a rear window was broken and lying open and that a light was on within the shop. A drawer was missing,” said Mrs Gair.
“Upon entering the building he found the missing drawer in the bathroom but its contents were gone.”
Items taken included hair straighteners worth £218, hair spray valued at £20 and candles worth £30. Around £160 in cash was also missing.
The burglar was caught after officers visited a property belonging to Smith’s partner following a report of concern for his wellbeing.
Forensics link burglar to salon thefts
During the visit officers spotted and photographed two mountain bikes, one of which was later identified by the homeowner who had disturbed the thief in his home.
Smith was arrested and DNA taken, with forensic evidence later connecting him to the salon break-ins.
Solicitor Clare Russell, for Smith, told the court that the 43-year-old was a widowed father of three and grandfather of four.
She said her client had committed the crimes “in order to pay for a drug problem” and had since been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of childhood trauma, for which he was receiving treatment.
Sheriff Sara Matheson sentenced Smith, of Mackintosh Road, Inverness, to 23 months imprisonment.
