A ROOFER stole £500 worth of diamond rings from a Dundee sheltered housing complex where he was doing work.
Daniel Mudie, 34, pinched five diamond rings and costume jewellery from Ruth Dye’s home in Dryburgh Gardens.
He took the items as he carried out roof work on her home, which is sheltered accommodation.
Mudie, of Findowrie Street, admitted one charge of theft via letter to Dundee Sheriff Court.
He admitted that on September 29 last year, at a property in Dryburgh Gardens, he stole a quantity of jewellery.
Fiscal depute John Adams said: “The scene of the crime is sheltered accommodation, which Ruth Dye was staying in. The accused was doing roof work at the property.
“He returned to the scene two or three times that week and was left unattended in the property.
“During that time he went into a jewellery box and took costume jewellery and five diamond rings.
“The matter was reported to police when she realised the jewellery was missing.”
Mr Adams told the court the jewellery was valued at £500 and there was no recovery.
Mudie was traced by police and interviewed and made a full admission to the offence. Sheriff Tom Hughes deferred sentencing until May 4.
Ian Thomson, chief executive of Abertay Housing Association, which manages the complex, said: “The residents at the complex are thought of very much as a happy little community.
“There are four blocks of four flats there, and we were very shocked to hear of the theft.
“Thankfully, incidents like this are extremely rare.
“I think a lot of the residents are shocked this has happened and because it’s such a remarkably successful community, it makes it much more upsetting when something like this happens.
“Dryburgh, as I said, is very much a community in itself and a very happy one with a great spirit, so something like a theft happening was a shock to us all.
“Thankfully, this has been an isolated incident, with it being a workman on site rather than a break-in to the complex, in what was an opportunist theft.”
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