A Kirkcaldy crook crept into a sleeping police officer’s home and stole his epaulettes.
However, bumbling Gary Collins dropped the officer’s clothing and driver’s licence a short distance away on a footpath.
Collins, of Park View, admitted stealing from three properties in Kirkcaldy.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard Collins snuck into a police officer’s home in Canberra Crescent while he slept.
The officer had gone to bed at around 10.30pm.
When the officer awoke, he discovered the items were missing.
He realised that the back door had not been secured the night before.
Collins had taken the officer’s work’s bag, a set of police epaulettes, £40 in cash and three jackets, worth around £495.
Of this, £455 worth of items were recovered.
At around 7.10am, the officer’s clothing and items including his driver’s licence were found a short distance away.
Further thefts
The same night, Collins, 44, had snuck into another house on Canberra Crescent and pilfered more personal items.
His victim woke to find her patio door insecure and a handbag, containing £120 cash, had been taken.
This money was never found.
A week earlier, he had broken into a garage at a home in Barnton Road and made off with two bikes and a pair of drills.
Its resident had gone to bed at around 9pm the night before and noticed the items were missing at 8.30am.
Their CCTV footage showed Collins trying to get into the garage at around 3.30am.
It was later revealed the value of the stolen goods was £2,000.
Collins pled guilty to forcing open the garage and taking both bikes and drills from the first property and stealing a rucksack, wallet, clothing, a debit card and cash.
He also admitted helping himself to a handbag and cash from the third home.
Worried about drug debts
Collins’ defence solicitor David Cranston described the string of raids as “an unfortunate return to offending” and said drug-induced money woes have left Collins anxious.
“He accepts that he didn’t really hit the ground running in terms of his honesty with the social worker.
“He’s had a drug problem raging for a few months.
“People are out to get him due to old drug debts.
“It’s been a regrettable relapse into offending.”
Collins, who has been in custody since August 30, appeared by video link at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist sentenced him to eight months in prison.
