A thirsty thief was caught after leaving blood in a Harvester restaurant he had raided in Dunfermline.
Jamie Morrison made off with three bottles of Whitley Neill gin from the outlet in the city’s Halbeath Retail Park on September 19 this year.
A few weeks earlier, Morrison left a DNA-covered Coke can in the site of another break-in – a garage from which he stole meat, booze and power tools.
Later that day – August 7 – he climbed onto the roof of Usave convenience store in Cowdenbeath’s Broad Street to steal lead.
Meat thief
Procurator fiscal depute Jamie Hilland told Dunfermline Sheriff Court that earlier that day, Morrison had entered the unlocked side door to a couple’s garage in Cowdenbeath while they were on a trip to St Andrews.
When they returned, they noticed electrical goods – a DeWalt circular saw, drill, jigsaw, grinder, sander and chargers with a combined value of £1,000 – were missing.
The court heard £70 worth of meat products had also been stolen from the freezer, as well as £100 worth of alcohol including a two-litre bottle of Baileys, a bottle of vodka and two cases of cider.
The fiscal depute said: “An empty can of Coke was found lying in the garage.
“This was seized by the police, analysed and the mouthpiece was found to contain the accused’s DNA”.
Blood left behind
Mr Hilland said an assistant manager at the Harvester restaurant discovered a glass panel in the back door had been smashed when she arrived there at around 8:50am on September 19.
A metal pipe was lying under the door.
Police were contacted and before they arrived, the staff member found a blood mark on the entrance to the kitchen.
This was tested and found to contain Morrison’s DNA.
Mr Hilland said three bottles of Whitley Neill gin were missing.
Morrison was seen on CCTV entering the back of the premises and leaving three minutes later carrying three bottles of alcohol.
The fiscal said Morrison was traced about an hour later and had a fresh cut on one of his fingers.
Lead theft
The court was further told the Usave shop manager noticed a leak in the roof and it became apparent the lead had been removed from the roof flashings.
Morrison was seen on CCTV climbing onto the roof and coming down 37 minutes later.
Mr Hilland said the roof tiles were damaged during the theft and there was water damage to the membranes and roof joints.
Morrison, 32, appeared in court via video link from Perth Prison to plead guilty to one charge of theft by housebreaking and another two theft charges.
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said Morrison has a history of drug and alcohol issues and a relapse into drug misuse led to the commission of these offences.
The solicitor said his client had analogous previous convictions.
Sheriff Maryam Labaki jailed Morrison for 12 months, backdated to September 20.
