A hapless thief who stole a television and trainers from a pensioner’s home was snared after leaving blood at the crime scene.
Ryan Wilson smashed his way into the 75-year-old man’s home on Pitfour Street, Dundee, in April.
The 26-year-old crook made off with a haul of goods but was caught after traces of his blood were discovered at the scene.
Wilson was jailed after pleading guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court to carrying out the break-in.
Sheriff Gregor Murray told Wilson: “This was an example of blatant housebreaking carried out in the evening at the residence of an elderly man.”
Database blood match
The court was told how the victim left his home at 5pm on the evening in question but returned two-and-a-half hours later to find it had been ransacked.
Fiscal depute Gavin Letford said: “The complainer saw his living room window was open.
“There were traces of blood on a chair, on front of the window and the handles of an antique chest of drawers.
“The kitchen window had been smashed from the outside and there was blood on the windowsill.
“A black, flat screen TV with a remote control were missing as well as ink cartridges.
“A pair of trainers and socks were also missing.”
Police were contacted and scenes of crime officers found that the blood found at the addressed matched Wilson’s, which was stored on the police database.
‘Deeply sorry, deeply ashamed’
Wilson’s flat was raided and police recovered the TV, along with a TalkTalk satellite box.
The trainers and ink cartridges were never found.
During his appearance from custody, Wilson, a prisoner of HMP Glenochil, admitted breaking into the property on Pitfour Street and stealing the property.
Solicitor Anika Jethwa said Wilson, who had been struggling with a drug addiction, was horrified to learn that his victim was a 75-year-old man.
“He was visibly upset when I indicated the age of the complainer,” she said.
“He is deeply sorry, deeply ashamed and said if he could then he would say sorry to the man.”
Wilson was jailed for 12 months.
