A hungry thief left a trail of crumbs after breaking into a bakery and helping himself to a handful of cakes.
Michael McNeilage, 38, was able to squeeze in and out of the bakery through a tiny window.
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney told Perth Sheriff Court: “The bakery was locked and left in a tidy and clean state, as usual.
“At 11.15am on September 19 the owner attended and observed cake crumbs throughout the bakery and the rear window was left open.
“CCTV captures him entering through an extremely small window which had been unlocked but closed.
“He went to the front and is seen stealing five cakes and two bottles of coke.
“He can be seen eating cakes before leaving through the same window.”
The total value of the items stolen and eaten during the raid was £8.
‘Hansel and Gretel story’
Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said: “It’s something like the Hansel and Gretel story with the crumbs leading back to him.
“The court will not be surprised to learn he has battled a drug addiction for many years and that is at the root of these offences.”
Mr Sweeney said a few days later residents were awoken at 3.40am by the sound of the alarm going off at the local pharmacy.
“They looked out and observed the doors smashed and lights were on within.
“They observed the accused running along the street with a large quantity of boxes.
“A few minutes later they observed the accused returning.
“Witnesses had turned up outside and were unaware he was still there.
“He exited by climbing through the door and appeared startled by them being there.
“He sprinted off down the street and was lost to sight.
“Police found boxes of diazepam and they attended the accused’s home a five-minute walk away.
“They observed blood on the doorstep.
“Due to the amount of blood there was concern for his well-being.
“He was arrested. The CCTV was reviewed and he was seen to smash the door.”
McNeilage, from Crieff, admitted breaking into Campbells Bakery in the Perthshire town on September 19 last year and stealing cakes and drinks.
He also admitted breaking into the neighbouring Strathearn Pharmacy six days later and stealing a quantity of controlled drugs.
Sheriff Euan Duthie deferred sentence for the preparation of background reports and McNeilage was remanded in custody.
Past crimes
In a previous case in 2019, McNeilage was jailed for 20 months for failing to make a clean getaway when he tried to rob a soap shop.
He was caught red-handed trying to force entry to Planet Soap while he was high on drugs.
His bid to rob the shop was so hapless a bystander took photographs of him in action.
He was also jailed for six months in 2010 after returning to the scene of his crime to tidy up the broken glass he had left behind during a break-in.
Guilt-ridden McNeilage cleaned up the mess before walking into a police station to hand back a bag of goods he had stolen from Muthill Lodge.
