Dundee thief who stole £8,000 of goods caught when he left his shoe at the scene

A Cinderella thief, who was caught after he left his shoe behind at the scene of one of his crimes, was yesterday jailed.

Andrew Scott, 19, broke in to two houses in Monifieth and Dundee, netting £8,000 worth of jewellery, cash and tech items.

But he was caught after the owners of one of the homes returned from holiday and found a trainer belonging to the crook.

Yesterday a sheriff told him there was “no alternative” to a jail sentence and locked Scott up for 10 months.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard Scott first targeted a house in Panmurefield Road, Monifieth, while the residents were away.

He smashed his way in through a patio window before helping himself to items including a mobile phone, a television, jewellery, cash and watches.

A laptop, aftershave and perfume, a wi-fi hub and an external hard drive were also taken. The BT Wi-fi hub was the only item recovered.

When the owners returned to their house and found their back patio window smashed, they noticed a shoe — an item linked back to Scott.

Scott also admitted stealing from a second home on Loganlee Terrace, Dundee, owned by a 76-year-old woman.

The OAP had gone to bed when Scott stole her purse containing £5.

Scott, of Dundee, pleaded guilty to charges of theft, housebreaking and breaching bail conditions imposed on him at Forfar Sheriff Court.

Defence solicitor John Boyle said Scott had committed the offences when he was 18 but that he already had a previous conviction for a previous theft.

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael said: “There’s no alternative sentence other than custody.”