A smash-and-grab raid on a Perth Aldi store cost the company more than £3,000 in lost revenue.
Serial thief Marcus Keep forced his way inside the city’s Glasgow Road branch and made off with bottles of booze.
It was the third Fair City outlet targeted by the 20-year-old in a series of night-time raids.
Keep was warned he faces being locked up if he offends again.
Aldi break-in
Perth Sheriff Court heard police were called to the Aldi supermarket just after 5am on December 11, 2019.
Fiscal depute Sean Maher said: “Officers were alerted by an alarm monitoring company, which told them the alarm at the store had been triggered.
“They saw that entry had been forced via a sliding glass door.”
Mr Maher said there were several smashed bottles at the scene.
“The loss of revenue came to just over £3,164.
“There was a CCTV recording which enabled officers to identify Mr Keep as the person responsible.”
Stolen fire extinguishers
The court heard Perth man Keep had raided two other outlets in the city.
Just weeks before he targeted Aldi, Keep broke into the offices of Shepherd chartered surveyors, in nearby Whitefriars Crescent.
He made off with two fire extinguishers and a desktop calculator.
Keep was identified by DNA left at the scene.
One of the fire extinguishers was found at his home.
Corner shop raid
The court heard on July 13, this year, Keep broke into the Day Today convenience store in the city’s Dunkeld Road.
He fled with alcohol, tobacco and cigarettes worth nearly £200.
Again, CCTV was used to identify Keep.
“Police officers traced the accused and noticed he had a cut to his hand,” said Mr Maher.
“This was consistent with blood staining found at the shop.”
No memory of raids
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said: “These offences were all committed while he was under the influence of alcohol.
“He had also taken street valium before one of the break-ins.
“As a result, he has no recollection of the events.”
She said her client was making good progress on the Right Track programme for young offenders.
“He no longer takes any substances or drinks alcohol,” she said.
Sentence was deferred until September 29.
Sheriff Neil Bowie told Keep: “You should be aware that custody is a real prospect.
“If you commit any further offending, it will be inevitable.”
