A Glasgow man was fooling no one when he set up an elaborate ploy to steal copper cabling from underneath roads in eastern Perthshire.
Despite donning bright yellow reflective clothing and putting up a workman’s tent over manhole covers alongside cones and signs, Dean Monaghan caught the attention of police on November 11.
They tracked the 33-year-old down at around 3am, after receiving calls from the public suspicious about the apparent repairs taking place just outside Blairgowrie.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how officers came across a van hired by the accused as they made their made along the A923, near Muirfield Road.
As Monaghan was questioned, he claimed he was working for a firm called McNicoll based in Bathgate subcontracted by BT to clean out the manhole covers.
However, when asked to provide proof of this contract as well as personal ID, he was unable to do so, prompting officers to take a closer look at his makeshift workplace.
They discovered a haul of equipment that had been used by Monaghan in a bid to gain access to valuable copper cables.
Depute fiscal Rebecca Kynaston said, “Police witnesses observed two large cutters, a hacksaw, a large chain rope and manhole removing tools at the site. They tried to get information from BT but were unable to get confirmation any repairs were taking place near Blairgowrie at the time.”
An inspection of the area also revealed at least two other manhole covers had been opened along the same stretch of road. As a result, the officers took Monaghan to divisional headquarters in Barrack Street, Perth, for further questioning.
Although the court heard he gave a “no comment” interview, inquiries revealed BT had been experiencing problems in that area of Perthshire at the time. However they had not carried out any investigations into the matter.
Ms Kynaston advised Sheriff Michael Fletcher that, because the copper cables were live and connected to the system, their removal would have resulted in the loss of telephone lines in and around Blairgowrie.
Monaghan, of Lowden Hill Drive, Glasgow, admitted that on November 11, last year, on Coupar Angus Road, Blairgowrie, he put up makeshift roadworks signs, moved inspection chamber lids and attempted to steal copper cable.
Sentence was deferred until July 27 for reports.