A thief who robbed a pensioner of £100 at a cash machine in Dundee last week was traced through his own post office account after he left his details at the scene.
Peter McMillan, 41, of Red Admiral Court, was jailed for 11 months after admitting stealing the cash from 75-year-old George Ross at the ATM outside the post office in Strathmartine Road last Saturday.
He was arrested on Thursday when police traced him at his home after finding a notepad containing telephone numbers and his post office account numbers.
He appeared in court after “holding up his hands” to the theft, along with a previous shoplifting offence. Mr Ross, who lives in the Hilltown area, said that the callous thief “deserves all he gets”.
He told The Courier: “The police came round and told me they had got him and he held his hands up and apologised for what he did. But he only apologised because he got caught, he deserves all he gets.”
Mr Ross told how he had talked with McMillan at the machine about how it had not been working the previous night.
“I didn’t even look at him, he said he hadn’t been able to get money out the night before either then when the money came out he just grabbed it.
“He didn’t touch me, just grabbed the money and jumped on his bike and pedalled off. I shouted to a boy coming out the butcher’s shop to grab him but he just missed him.”
Depute fiscal Laura Bruce said: “The accused dropped a plastic bag as he ran off and then cycled away. He was seen by witnesses to turn into Main Street then turning into a further street before disappearing from view.
“Police were handed a plastic bag which contained a notepad with several telephone numbers and post office sort code and account number.
“Inquiries traced the accused’s name and address. When arrested by police he stated, ‘I fully admit the crime. I shouldn’t have done it, I’m sorry. I saw the £100 and snatched it from the machine. I’ll be pleading guilty to that tomorrow’.”
Mrs Bruce said he had also admitted stealing groceries worth £49.21 from Asda, Milton of Craigie, on May 3.
Solicitor Doug McConnell said McMillan’s crimes had come “out of desperation” after he had moved to Dundee to get away from a life of crime in Inverness.
McMillan, who has more than 40 previous convictions, mainly in the Inverness area, had been found accommodation in Red Admiral Court.
However, Mr McConnell said: “He came to Dundee after previous prison sentences to get his life back in order but he was placed in the same room as a drug dealer and got back into drug abuse and crime.
“His life is spiralling downhill because of drug misuse and that’s why I’m not asking for anything other than a prison sentence for Mr McMillan.”
Sheriff Munro jailed McMillan for six months for the theft and a further five months for the shoplifting offence, which also included a previous failure to appear in court on that matter.
Since the incident, members of the public have offered to donate cash to Mr Ross, who said: “It’s nice to hear that people want to do that. It’s a touching reminder there are people out there who care.”