A drugged-up thief posed unconvincingly as a university cleaner after being caught red-handed.
Laptops, camcorders, boxing equipment and a heart rate monitor were among the items swiped by Alistair Anderson when he broke into Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD) in February.
Staff received a call just before 10pm from the alarm company saying there had been a breach at the Matthew Building.
They found a smashed window, a black Aldi bag containing four packets of bacon, a laptop and painting equipment, and blood on the floor.
Police were contacted before Anderson, 41, appeared with blood visible on his right hand, Dundee Sheriff Court heard.
Fiscal depute Marie Irvine said: “The accused said he was working as a cleaner and two other people had followed him in.
“He said he did not know how they got in having consumed valium.
“He was handcuffed by officers and found to have blood-stained money worth £89.05.”
Despite claiming he was working for Tayside Contracts, Anderson had no identification or cleaning products with him.
A further search of the building revealed several offices had been rummaged through with blood stains clearly visible.
Appearing from custody, Anderson, a prisoner at Perth, pleaded guilty to breaking into the DJCAD on February 19.
He admitted stealing £100 in cash, spirit, paint, rags, two laptops, camcorders, a microphone, boxing equipment, a heart rate monitor, welding glass, hard drives, a television, a CD player and an iPhone.
Solicitor David Duncan said Anderson had recently relapsed into drug abuse.
He said: “Unfortunately his brother died in 2018 and not only did he return to drug use but it was at a greater and more alarming level than he had before and he was even taking crack cocaine.
“He’s been in custody since this matter and it almost came as a relief to him. He does not have a great deal of recollection about his offence but when he became aware of the circumstances he instructed me to resolve matters for him.
“It’s very unfortunate that period of abstinence could not be maintained. He is very disappointed in himself that he has returned to the way that he was.”
Sheriff Tom Hughes sentenced Anderson to 16 months in prison.
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