Two thieves made off with a trailer from a Perthshire farm using a 4×4 that had been stolen from a different farm the day before.
Darren White and David Munro targeted farms in Perthshire and Angus in a four-day crime spree.
The pair were caught on CCTV driving one of the vehicles across the Tay Road Bridge to Fife, while another vehicle and trailer were recovered from the Methil area.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the pair left farm gates hanging off their hinges as they made off with the items.
Referring to the trailer theft, depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson said: “The trailer had been left on the property overnight. The owner had left the property at around 6pm.
“Around an hour later he received a call telling him his gates were off the hinges. He returned and found the trailer had been stolen.
“CCTV showed the accuseds driving the 4×4 vehicle that had been stolen earlier – they removed the gate, attached the trailer and drove away.”
Solicitors for both men said they had had issues with drugs.
White’s solicitor said he had run up debt, which was the motivation for the crime spree.
White, 36, a prisoner at Perth, admitted stealing a Ford Ranger from Newmiln Farm, Tibbermore, on August 12 and a Brian James trailer from Woodend Farm, Auchterarder, the following day.
Munro, 25, a prisoner at Glenochil, admitted the same offences, as well as a further charge of stealing a Volkswagen from Kirkton Farm, Monikie, Angus, on August 15.
White was jailed for 24 months, while Munro received a sentence of 32 months.
