A pair of Dundee thieves who pilfered tens of thousands of pounds worth of lead from the roof of a waterfront business have been placed on curfew.
Mark McFadyen and Shane Aberdein both previously pled guilty to taking lead from the roof of the Water’s Edge offices in separate raids in 2021.
They left the business with a £65,000 repair bill
McFadyen, 28, who had been remanded in HMP Perth since November, also admitted breaking into a building in the city to steal more than £4,000 worth of tools.
Jail ‘justified’
McFadyen’s solicitor Nick Markowski said his client had been “in a fairly dark place”.
“He has a diagnosis of ADHD. He seems to have been self-medicating.
“He has a limited record for that type of offending.”
Sheriff Krista Johnston liberated him by taking the “unusual step” of placing him on a structured deferred sentence for the next three months, including a 7pm to 7am curfew.
She said: “Your record is relatively limited for dishonesty.
“I’ve taken into account what’s said in the criminal justice social work report, the difficulties you have with ADHD and your responsibility for children.”
James Caird, appearing for 35-year-old former labourer Aberdein, acknowledged his client has prior convictions but nothing since 2017.
The sheriff placed him under supervision for two years and on a 7pm to 7am curfew for nine months.
She said: “I take into account that you’re considered as being of medium or low risk of reoffending and that you’re responsible for young children.
“I could so easily justify sending you to jail today.
“I’m, just, persuaded… to impose a direct alternative to that.”
The sheriff added: “In respect of both of you, these were offences that were planned and in respect of all of the charges, the value of all the items taken was high.
“The inconvenience and upset to those who worked in the local premises must have been considerable.”
Company targeted twice
Water’s Edge, at Dundee’s docks, is a premises with offices, meeting rooms and co-working space to rent.
Forfar Sheriff Court previously heard the Camperdown Street building was first struck in by Aberdein.
On the afternoon of April 4, security firm Tayside Group were alerted to two intruders at the building but no-one was found.
Later, at 11.45pm, SecuriTay staff watching CCTV saw an intruder on the roof.
A security officer attended and saw somebody running off.
When staff attended next morning, they reviewed security footage and saw two men on the roof.
An employee found 90 metres of lead had been removed, worth between £10,000 and £15,000.
Repairs cost £31,369.
Leaks led to second discovery
McFadyen, 28, was next to target the offices in a raid discovered when water began to leak into units on May 11 2021.
Between 50 and 60 sheets of lead flashing had been removed from the roof. Only three sheets remained intact.
CCTV from almost midnight the night before was checked and McFadyen could be seen climbing onto the roof via a ledge above the main door.
Lead flashing was brought down and hidden in general waste bins in the neighbouring plumbers’ yard.
A Transit van was caught on CCTV arriving at 9.30am collecting the metal.
The repairs this time cost £33,668.
Snared by DNA
McFadyen also admitted stealing tools worth £4,460 from Edwards Builders, which had been working at a four-storey listed building in Dundee’s Commercial Street.
The premises was locked for the weekend and tools were left out of sight in the basement but when staff returned to work, kit worth thousands was gone.
A window and a door were damaged and CCTV showed tools being moved to behind a skip outside.
McFadyen was caught when his DNA was found on a pair of snips he left behind.
Aberdein, of Pitkerro Drive and McFadyen, of Kemnay Gardens, both Dundee, admitted the thefts.
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