Members of a criminal gang that targeted a Dundee car dealership and stole an Angus man’s pick-up truck are facing jail.
Banned drivers Robert Fleming and Alistair Montague ransacked the Kismat Motor Group on East Dock Street and made off with cars worth thousands of pounds last October.
Around the same time, Fleming also stole a Ford Ranger pick-up truck from a man’s driveway in Muirhead.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how the owner was sent a Snapchat video which showed Fleming driving his vehicle.
Fleming, 26, and Montague, 31, had broken into the car dealership along with others who could not be identified.
The dopey crooks’ faces were clearly visible on CCTV.
Fleming left a glove in one of the cars.
Kismat Motor Group owner Sufiyan Suleman said at the time the break-in had been a “nightmare” and the damage would cost a five-figure sum to repair.
Prosecutor Lynne Mannion said the owner of the Ford Ranger became aware his car had been stolen at 6.30am as he left for work.
She said: “The witness was sent a Snapchat video recording by someone he knew which contained a user, Bob Fleming.
“The brief clip showed an unidentified person travelling on the A90 in his vehicle.
“He was able to identify the vehicle due to it having distinctive modifications.”
Mr Suleman had been in Glasgow and returned to find the glass panels of the office door had been smashed and cars were missing.
A white Skoda had been moved a short distance to a nearby car wash, where two hammers were found in the driver’s footwell, along with a glove.
Mrs Mannion added: “CCTV recovered from the locus shows the accused Montague passing a tub of keys to the accused Fleming.
“Montague had an Asda bag with items as well as DVLA documents and plates.
“Both accused were positively identified. External CCTV shows the Ford Ranger arrived and various men were seen jumping in and out of different cars.
“Officers confirmed the accused Fleming was seen exiting the Ford Ranger.
“At 4.34am, Fleming enters a Vauxhall Astra and drives off towards the city centre.”
Police were contacted on October 16 to be told the location of the stolen Astra. It was seized and Fleming’s DNA was found within.
Montague was found in the Buttars Road area, where a stolen Renault Clio and Vauxhall Meriva were discovered. His DNA was traced inside the Meriva.
The Ford Ranger was later discovered at an industrial estate in Inverkeithing.
The charges
Fleming pled guilty to stealing the Ford Ranger from an address on Dronley Terrace, Muirhead between October 14 and 15 last year.
He and Montague, both on remand at HMP Perth, admitted breaking into Kismat Motor Group and stealing keys, car plates and documents.
Fleming admitted stealing two of the vehicles and driving while disqualified.
Montague stole two other vehicles and also drove while banned.
Sheriff Richard McFarlane considered remitting the case to the High Court, where more severe punishments can be imposed but instead, deferred sentence for reports to be prepared.
The pair were remanded in custody and will return to court in May.
