A Dunfermline man was caught on camera freewheeling a stolen £4,000 motorbike while wearing a hi-vis orange vest he’d stolen from a BT Openreach van.
Brian Duncan was rumbled after the motorbike owner shared images of his stolen Ducati on social media and received a tip-off from a bike dealer to say someone had tried selling it to a friend.
Investigating police then paid a visit to Duncan’s home.
Fiscal depute Michael Robertson told Dunfermline Sheriff Court: “Upon entering the property, constables found the accused with (a friend) who stated: ‘Is this about the stolen stuff?… He says he was trying to scrap the bike for £500’.”
Mr Robertson said the motorbike was stolen from a back garden shed in Baldridgeburn, Dunfermline, in the early hours of March 25.
He told the court a number of tools and clothing were also taken from a BT Openreach van – including specialist telecom engineering equipment and a hi-vis jacket – in the town’s William Street at some point during the same night.
Several items were later seized during the search of Duncan’s home in Broomhead Drive, including the vest, a spanner, pliers and a hard hat.
Caught on CCTV
Mr Robertson told the court an elderly man in Baldridgeburn had seen someone access a shed behind some flats and remove a motorbike at around 2am on March 25.
Mr Robertson said the motorbike owner circulated images of the stolen bike on social media and was contacted anonymously by a bike dealer whose friend was in contact with someone trying to sell them the Ducati.
Two days later, police spotted the motorbike parked in Broomhead Drive and forensics were carried out before officers spoke to witnesses and conducted a search of Duncan’s home on April 12.
Duncan, 43, was arrested and taken to Dunfermline police station.
The depute fiscal said the value of the motorbike was about £4,000 and the approximate value of items taken from the van was £500.
‘Don’t mess up’
Duncan pled guilty to forcing open the shed and stealing the motorbike and entering the van to steal tools, tool bags, engineering equipment and clothing.
Duncan also admitted using a motorbike while disqualified and without insurance.
Sheriff Robert More deferred sentence until April 22 pending a review of a drug treatment and testing order to which Duncan is subject.
The sheriff told Duncan all sentencing options remain open and he must stay out of trouble until this date, particularly as he has previous convictions.
The sheriff added: “Please don’t mess this up.”
Duncan was released on bail.
