A serial crook was jailed after being arrested for multiple raids on professional golf clubs and shops across central Scotland, including in Perth and Kinross.
Eric Dowds, 62, pled guilty to stealing nearly £42,000 worth of golf clubs, equipment, and clothing by breaking into clubs and pro shops.
Stirling Sheriff Court heard he broke into Kinross Golf Club’s pro shop and premises in Fauldhouse and Uphall in West Lothian and Dullatur Golf Club near Cumbernauld between October 26 2023 and October 16 2024.
In the raids at Kinross and Fauldhouse he was acting with an accomplice, whose identity is said to be still unknown.
He also admitted his part in an abortive theft on October 25 2023 when, with an unknown accomplice, he tried and failed to force open a metal roller blind at the Noah’s Ark Golf Centre in Perth causing £2000 of damage.
Dowds was caught on CCTV, sometimes wearing a balaclava, “crawling around” inside several of the premises and leaving with stolen goods, or passing them out of the window to an accomplice.
His DNA was found in two cases.
None of the clubs or golf gear taken in any of the raids was ever recovered.
Jailed
Solicitor Ian McClelland, defending, said Dowds, a roofer from Harthill, had been suffering “difficulties at home”.
He said: “Unfortunately he was persuaded to become involved in these offences.”
Dowds showed no emotion as he was jailed for 33 months.
The court heard he had 10 previous convictions for theft by break-ins.
In 2022 Dowds was cleared on a not proven verdict of stealing £13,000 worth of Titleist clubs from the National Golf Academy building at Gleneagles.
Security staff at the venue had become suspicious because he turned up in attire unacceptable for the golf course – a contractor’s hi-vis vest and blue slim-fitting Nike tracksuit bottoms.
In 2011 he was jailed for breaking in, with two other men, at cash-and-carry premises in Portobello, Edinburgh.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
