A hapless crook who went on a month-long crime spree in Dundee was caught after leaving a mixture of shampoo and his own blood at the scene of one of his crimes.
Daniel Tucker, 41, broke into a takeaway, hairdressers, shipping containers and lock-ups across Dundee over a four-week period in September and October last year.
When he was finally caught, he told the owners of a shop in which he was found he was not there to steal but was “checking up” on the premises, having noticed it had been broken into.
He told them he was worried about the building because he had “heard” about the “spate of crimes” which had occurred in the area at the time – crimes he had committed himself.
In another gaff, he left a trail of blood and shampoo after smashing his way into a hairdressers on Strathmartine Road.
He inexplicably returned to the scene of the crime the next day – while wearing a bandage around his cut – and was chased by the hairdresser.
Tucker twice sneaked into the same fish and chip shop on Strathmartine Road – the first time escaping with almost £400 cash.
On his return four days later, all he could find were cans of Coke and boxes of Twix and Snickers.
He took them anyway.
Chip shop raids
Depute fiscal Gavin Barton told Dundee Sheriff Court Joe’s Fishbar was raided on September 23 and 27.
“The owner left cash in a bag for the delivery, as well as a float in the till on September 23.
“The roller shutter was pulled, but not locked.
“In the morning the owner noticed the door was open and the till had been forced.
“The bag in the kitchen for the overnight delivery was missing, which had around £250.
“On September 27, the owner had left no money in the store.
“He observed the shutters had been lifted open again.
“A bolt for the door was found on the ground.
“Drinks and confectionary had been taken.”
Nerf bullets taken in smash ‘n’ grab
Mr Barton said: “In charge three, the locus was a shipping container belonging to Pinegrove Trading on Fairmuir Street.
“At around 1pm on October 5 the owners, on approach, noticed the door open and padlocks missing.
“Items were strewn around the container.
“Three nerf guns, a 36-pack of nerf foam bullets, laminate flooring, a mitre saw, a box of Pringle socks and clothing and kitchen utensils were missing.
“A pull of DNA evidence taken from the scene matched that of the accused.”
Blood and shampoo
The court heard: “In charge four, at around 1.30pm the daughter of the owner of Guild Aesthetics on Strathmartine Road found the blinds broken and liquid on the floor that looked like blood.
“Hairstyle products were missing.
“Later, she observed the accused looking through the window of the premises wearing a bandage.
“There was a mixture of blood and shampoo at the scene.
“She followed him and he ran off.
“A black cash box, hair products and straighteners were taken.”
Abused police after eventual arrest
Three pairs of hair straighteners, three curlers, two shavers, one nail lamp, a tablet and case and beauty products were taken from The Hair and Beauty Mill on Clepington Road.
Mr Barton said: “In charge seven, the accused was found by the owners crouched down among items on October 23.
“He had an empty plastic bag in his hand.
“He told the owners he ‘wasn’t there to commit crime, that he was checking in on the premises because he had heard about a spate of crime in the area’.
“When police arrived at the premises on Fairmuir Street, the accused was arrested, cautioned and charged.
“He responded to police saying ‘go f**k yourselves’.”
Blasted by sheriff
He admitted all of the charges, including stealing a bike from Asda on Derwent Crescent and breaking his curfew, set at an earlier date.
Defence solicitor Theo Finlay, in mitigation for Tucker, said: “His cousin was killed in an accident on Glenshee in January 2021.
“This traumatic episode was followed by the death of his stepmother.
“This lead to the complete breakdown of his mental health which descended into drug misuse, which in turn gave rise to a catalogue of offending.”
Sentencing Tucker to two years in prison, Sheriff Alastair Carmichael said: “It is quite clear you have had a tough time of things, but that does not give you any reason to commit these types of crime.
“These people are trying to make a living, in these times it could be the difference in them staying open.”
