A prolific car thief who led police on a dangerous chase through Broughty Ferry is back behind bars.
Banned driver Robert Fleming was in a stolen car when he struck another vehicle, driving at more than double the 30mph speed limit.
Police managed to thwart the crook by deploying a stinger.
Dashcam footage obtained by The Courier shows the moment of Fleming’s arrest.
He is seen emerging from the stolen car with his hands in the air.
History of car crime
Fleming’s criminal record spans more than a decade with multiple convictions for dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and vehicle theft.
He was previously jailed for ransacking a Dundee car dealership and leading police on a similarly dangerous chase across the city.
“These are serious matters and you have a concerning schedule of previous convictions,” Sheriff Paul Brown told the 29-year-old.
“There’s no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
Fleming also admitted stealing a Toyota Corolla on December 3 2022 from an address on Troon Avenue along with items inside it including a £950 Canada Goose jacket, a Gucci wallet worth £300 and Airpods worth £200.
Caught on CCTV
Dundee Sheriff Court heard the car was unlocked due to issues with the central locking system.
The owner woke up to see that the car was no longer there and immediately called the police.
Fleming was picked up on CCTV two days later after the car was linked to a theft from another unlocked vehicle on Balmossie Gardens.
The Corolla was later found abandoned near to private garages and the Taxi Club on Kinloch Street.
Fiscal depute Trina Sinclair revealed that Fleming would continue his car crime spree in April 2023 by making off in a Mini Clubman.
“At about 3.30am on April 15 2023, officers observed the stolen vehicle driving northbound on Old Glamis Road at Soccerworld whereby the vehicle was observed to drive straight on at the roundabout at Kingsway,” Ms Sinclair said.
“Officers followed the vehicle at a distance and did not activate their blue lights.”
Fleming was followed to an address on Ladywell Avenue with its owner discovering that the crook had trashed the interior of the car.
A fault was also found with the brakes along with damage to the front two wheel trims.
Stinger deployed
On July 3 last year, Fleming stole a Volkswagen Tiguan from an address on Dalhousie Road with police receiving intelligence that day that the vehicle was in Arbroath.
Several police units were deployed to the town but a sergeant in a marked car on Baldovie Road at the Claypotts junction saw the Tiguan driving west on the A92.
Ms Sinclair added: “The sergeant followed the subject vehicle and illuminated his blue lights.
“The subject vehicle made no attempt to slow or stop upon seeing the marked patrol vehicle.
“The subject turned left on Claypotts Road where it continued to travel south reaching speeds of around 60mph within the 30mph speed limit.”
Fleming drove into the opposite lane to overtake other vehicles and continued to drive despite striking another vehicle.
He was temporarily lost to sight while driving on the A930 Dundee Road but the sergeant managed to catch up with Fleming, who was still driving at around 60mph.
Other officers managed to deploy a stinger at the junction with Fairfield Road, successfully bursting the front tyres of the Tiguan at around 5.45pm.
Fleming came to a stop in the middle of Dundee Road near Ralston Road and Margaret Crescent.
Dashcam footage shows Fleming surrendering before being arrested.
Two passengers fled from the Tiguan with police later catching a 17-year-old male.
Fleming, a prisoner of HMP Perth, pled guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, stealing from vehicles and reset between December 2022 and July 2023.
Solicitor David Duncan said Fleming was already serving a sentence imposed in September 2023.
Sheriff Brown ordered him to serve a total of 30 months in prison to run consecutively to his current sentence.
Fleming was banned from driving for a further eight years and three months.
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