A man admitted sneaking into a woman’s bedroom while she was sleeping to steal her phone and purse, then crashed the family car as he was making his getaway.
Terry Barr, 24, of Thurso Gardens, Dundee, pled guilty to the break-in at an address on Forfar Road, where he stole a number of items including a car, when he appeared from the cells at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday.
Depute fiscal Laura Bruce told the court that the occupants, a couple and their middle-aged son, had gone to bed at 11.30pm, believing that the front and back doors were secured.
However, when the lady of the house woke at 8.15am on Saturday morning she had the feeling someone had come into and left her bedroom.
Ms Bruce said: “She shouted out and reached for her phone but discovered it was missing from the bedroom cabinet.
“She heard a loud bang and looked outside to see the family vehicle being reversed into the pillar at the bottom of the drive.”
The court heard that Barr was seen in the driver’s seat and the keys to the vehicle were missing from the woman’s handbag in her bedroom.
The car had been filled with the family’s belongings and the items stolen included two wallets containing bank cards, personal papers, two sets of car keys, two mobile phones, a laptop, a digital photo frame, a vacuum cleaner, a TV, an iPad, an adaptor, six ornaments, two watches, a packet of amitriptyline and a Waitrose gift voucher for £10.
The woman woke her husband and son, who followed Barr as he crossed Forfar Road and into Caird Park. The family believed Barr was under the influence of drugs at the time of the offence.
After fleeing the house he was seen by the victim’s son entering some undergrowth, where he was thought to be counting money.
When the police caught up with Barr he was found in possession of the Waitrose voucher, the victim’s mobile phone and £85 in cash.
Several of the stolen items were found concealed in the undergrowth, including watches and the keys to another vehicle that belonged to the family.
The value of the stolen goods was estimated to be around £2,213. Barr’s defence solicitor told the court that he lived alone and was on benefits but he does have some support from family in the area.
Barr, who was already on bail at the time of the offence, was remanded in custody and a social worker is due to visit him in prison.
Sheriff Elizabeth Munro deferred sentence until August 26, when he will be sentenced for the break-in and other matters at the same time.