A fearless single mum and her 15-year-old daughter bravely challenged a home intruder who was helping himself to their cash and jewellery.
Andrew Allan took advantage of their unlocked front door and walked into their Union Grove property in the middle of the day.
The 58-year-old grabbed a suitcase and began to fill it with money and other valuable items before being discovered by the startled mother and daughter.
Far from cowering away, the bold duo confronted the intruder, stopped him leaving and forced him to hand back his stolen goods – all while he “begged” them not to phone the police.
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 11.45am on February 18 last year.
Thief tried to claim he’d been sent by police
She said: “Whilst within the bathroom, the mother overheard noises coming from her bedroom and presumed it was her daughter, who had been asleep within her own bedroom.
“She exited the bathroom and was met in the hallway by a male unknown to her – the accused.
“He was in possession of a black suitcase that belonged to her.”
The woman shouted: “Hey, what are you doing?”
The cowardly intruder immediately tried to run to the front door, but the woman grabbed him by the jacket and stopped him.
Ms Simpson said: “She shouted to her daughter for assistance, who immediately made her way to the hallway and took hold of the black suitcase from the accused.
“The accused was challenged on who he was and initially stated he had been sent by the police.
“He then stated he had been sent by a neighbour.
“The accused then begged them not to contact police.”
‘I am going to get a knife’
The pair instructed Allan to empty his pockets and he handed back a Pandora charm bracelet
The 15-year-old then searched through Allan’s bag but did not find any items that belonged to them.
Allan told them he was homeless and “needed the money for his son”. He promised he did not have any more stolen items.
Ms Simpson told the court: “The accused then stated ‘I am going to get a knife’.
“The daughter responded that she was going to contact the police and the accused said ‘well, I will just go and get a knife then’.
“Neither witness observed a knife at any time.”
Thief’s record ‘reflects extremely poorly’ on him
The mother then broke down in tears and was “briefly consoled” by Allan before he took the opportunity to flee.
Opening the black suitcase the mother and daughter had recovered, they discovered £600 in cash inside.
CCTV footage captured Allan walking along Holburn Street and disposing of items in an industrial bin.
Officers attended and found further gold-coloured jewellery Allan had stolen from the family, worth up to £250.
He was later traced and arrested.
Allan, of Kerloch Gardens, Aberdeen, pled guilty to theft and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Defence agent John Hardie said his client had a record which “reflects extremely poorly on him”.
He said: “He does fully appreciate how harmful an offence like this is.
“He’s taken pretty significant and successful steps to address, principally, his drug habit.”
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis jailed Allan for 20 months.
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