A drug-addled thief ransacked a parked car in the middle of the night and then alerted a neighbour to the damage he had caused.
Tom Devers was out of his mind on a cocktail of drugs when he used a concrete fence post to smash his way into a stationary vehicle in Crieff.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how the 40-year-old career criminal then knocked on a nearby house to tell them what had happened.
Devers was jailed after he admitted forcing his way into the Toyota Hilux in Hill Street and stealing cash and a laptop worth more than £1,600 in the early hours of September 19 last year.
His own lawyer described his behaviour as “bizarre”.
Knocked on neighbours door after ransacking car
Prosecutor Sam Craib told the court: “The complainer parked his car, but left some belongings inside as he had his hands full with his son and his shopping.
“Some time later, at about 1.40am, a neighbour was woken by a noise outside.
“He then heard knocking at his front door.
“When he answered it, he saw a man standing outside who was later identified as the accused.”
The fiscal depute said: “The accused said he had knocked to alert him to the damage done to a vehicle parked outside.
“He thought the car belonged to him.”
Mr Craib said: “The witness said it was not his car, but told the accused not to be knocking on people’s doors at this time of night.”
The neighbour looked over and saw boxes and papers strewn across the car park.
A concrete post was lying on the bonnet of the car.
“The rear window and back passenger window had been smashed,” said Mr Craib.
“The car had been ransacked and the rear view mirror had been ripped off.”
Jail sentence for thief who ransacked car in Crieff
It was later confirmed that £1,500 – cash from the sale of a van – had been stolen from the vehicle, alongside a laptop and its bag.
Devers, who has an extensive criminal record, was caught after investigators reviewed CCTV.
When arrested, he told cops: “It wasn’t me and that’s it.”
Solicitor Linda Clark, defending, said: “Mr Devers is under no illusions that the court will be imposing a custodial sentence.
“He pled guilty at the first opportunity to avoid a trial.”
She said: “He is someone who has had substance misuse issues for some time.
“As a result, his recollection of this incident is somewhat dim.
“On this night, he had taken a quantity of street Valium and possibly some heroin.
“That maybe explains the bizarre behaviour involving him knocking on the door of the property to alert the neighbour.”
Sheriff Simon Collins KC told Devers: “You are realistic enough to know that there is no alternative to a prison sentence.”
He jailed him for nine months.
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