A Moray teenager, who stole goods from cars was found to be scamming free electricity when police raided his home.
Kenan Lambert, of Buckie, targeted five cars in the town on Yardie and Gordie Street and Burnside Street in Findochty between October 13 and November 27 last year to steal items from the vehicles.
The 18-year-old subsequently attempted to go on an £1,800 spending spree at JD Sports with bank cards which were illegally obtained from the raids.
Among the other goods taken from the thefts were purses, a digital camera, a pouch of cash, an iPod and phone chargers.
When police searched his home on November 27 to recover the goods, they also discovered the 18-year-old had attached a wire to bypass his electricity meter in order to gain £518 of free power.
Officers were aided in their efforts to track down the culprit when Lambert used his home address when trying to buy goods online from JD Sports.
In total, the teenager tried to buy £1809 worth of items from the retailer before the banks put a stop on the purchases.
Yesterday, Lambert appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to several offences.
Fiscal Kevin Corrins said: “Various attempts were made to place orders on a mobile device that belonged to the accused.
“JD Sports was able to cancel the purchases, so there was no monetary loss to the victims.”
Defence solicitor Ian Cruickshank stressed his client had been acting with “another person” during the car thefts and they were “opportunistic” crimes.
He said: “The course of conduct is serious. During that time, Mr Lambert recognises he was associating himself with individuals who were not good for him who persuaded him to take part in these offences.
“He doesn’t seek to blame them. He does accept he’s responsible and did plan these offences.”
Lambert, of Baron Street in Buckie, was sentenced to 225 hours of unpaid work, placed under supervision for two years and ordered to pay £243 in compensation.
He had pleaded guilty to five charges of entering an insecure vehicle to steal items, one charge of vandalising a car by scratching it, two charges of using a stolen bank card to buy goods from JD Sports and one charge of tampering with an electricity meter to get free power.
