A Ring doorbell snared two hapless car thieves who embarked on a brazen raid at a house in Dundee.
Kevin O’Donnell and Reece Stewart were chased by the owner of one of the cars as they tried to flee the crime scene in the Ardler area.
The disqualified duo are now jailed after they admitted stealing a Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta.
Ring alarm
Dundee Sheriff Court was told the vehicles were parked outside the address on Troon Terrace on the evening before they were stolen.
The woman who primarily uses one of the cars was woken by an activation on her Ring doorbell in the early hours of the morning.
The front door of the house was left unlocked due to the male resident falling asleep on the couch unexpectedly without locking up for the night.
Fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie said: “On the footage, the complainer observed a man, later identified as the accused Kevin O’Donnell, crouching down at the front door.
“She was frightened and ran downstairs immediately to wake the man.
“They observed the white Ford Focus and the red Ford Fiesta being driven south.
“The man chased after the vehicles and caught up with the red Fiesta, opened the door and observed the accused Reece Stewart as the sole occupant, who sped up and was then lost to sight.”
Snared by Ring footage and DNA
Numerous police units descended on the street and police CCTV operators were made aware the two cars were stolen.
The Ford Focus was seen travelling on Strathmartine Road in the early hours of the morning but was lost to sight.
Two males were seen within the vehicle wearing dark clothing with their faces partially covered.
Police later discovered the Fiesta parked across from Westmuir Village Hall in Angus and the Focus abandoned in a private car park near the underpass at Robertson Street in Dundee.
Officers managed to identify 25-year-old Stewart and O’Donnell, 31, from the doorbell footage and DNA found within the car.
The pair, prisoners at HMP Perth, pled guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance during the incident on September 13 2023
Stewart stole the Fiesta while O’Donnell, who was subject to three bail orders from three separate courts, stole the Focus.
O’Donnell was in breach of a curfew condition at the time of the theft.
‘Bad choices’
Solicitor Scott Norrie, representing Stewart, told Sheriff David Hall his client wished to be interviewed by a social worker ahead of sentencing in the hope of receiving a community payback order.
“His record does him no credit at all,” Mr Norrie said of Stewart, who was previously jailed for driving offences.
“He’s a young man who has made very bad choices over the years and has gotten himself involved with others who have been able to persuade him quite easily to follow a certain path.
“He has given an indication that he is wanting to move away from this sort of behaviour.”
O’Donnell’s most recent prison stint expired in June and he has been on remand since then.
His solicitor, Jane Caird, said he fully understood he would be hit with a jail term.
She added: “He was living a very chaotic lifestyle at the time and is frankly embarrassed by his conduct having watched footage in relation to this matter.
“He’s using his time in prison to address his drug use and is now fully clean from any drug.”
Stewart was sentenced to 16 months in prison, while O’Donnell was jailed for 22 months.
Both men were disqualified from driving for four years.
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