A hapless housebreaker was caught when he dumped his victim’s suitcase filled with loot in a hostel reception area and left it there.
Connor Mack broke into a house in Edzell last May while the householder was on holiday.
The resident was alerted to the break-in by an email from his burglar alarm company as he sat in a foreign departure lounge on his way home from a two-week break.
A friend went to check on the property and discovered a window had been smashed and items inside disturbed.
Meanwhile, Mack had loaded up a suitcase with loot and made off before trying to check in to a homeless hostel.
Depute fiscal Joanne Smith told Forfar Sheriff Court that the police turned up there two days later on an unrelated matter and found the case.
She said: “Items which the accused had left there were shown to the police and the case was identified as being similar to one that the owner of the property had said was stolen.
“The suitcase was opened and a laptop and other items were found.
“The accused was subsequently traced that day and detained, at which time a mobile phone and a black jacket that had also been stolen were found.
“In total the value of the property stolen was £800, of which £685 was recovered.”
Mack, 21, of Baldovan Terrace, Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of theft by housebreaking.
Sheriff Pino di Emidio deferred sentence until March for social work background reports and released Mack on bail meantime.