A peephole was the undoing for two dopey thieves after they were caught breaking into a man’s flat by his neighbour.
Ziggi Christie, 39, and 32-year-old Bartosz Bajorek made off with clothes in carrier bags after forcing their way into the property on Aboyne Avenue.
A sloshed Christie went to the block believing he still lived there – despite moving out almost 10 years earlier.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard a neighbour used his peephole to spot Christie and Bajorek kicking the door in the early hours of the morning. The occupant was on holiday abroad at the time.
Reports have now been ordered for Christie, a prolific offender, but Bajorek was jailed after he admitted multiple breaches of a curfew in the early months of the pandemic.
Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin said: “At around 1.40am the witness was awoken by banging sounds. He thought someone was trying to break into his flat.
“He looked through the spy hole. He saw Ziggi Christie and Bartosz Bajorek making attempts to gain access to the property.
“Bartosz Bajorek had a key he was inserting but was unsuccessful. He said ‘it’s not turning, it must not be the right key’.”
She added: “Both accused began to kick the front door repeatedly and push against it to force it open. Police were contacted and during the call, the banging and kicking stopped.
“The witness looked out his kitchen window and saw them both leave the common close carrying carrier bags.”
Officers stopped the pair nearby carrying bags which contained clothing. Some of these were identified as belonging to the resident by his partner.
The court was also told how Bajorek was seen acting suspiciously at multiple addresses in the city between April and May.
Both men pleaded guilty to breaking into the flat on September 18 2019 and stealing items of clothing.
Bajorek, a prisoner of HMP Perth, admitted breaching a curfew between September 2019 and April this year. He also pleaded guilty to being found on Dalgleish Road, East Haddon Road and Strathearn Road where it could be inferred he intended to commit theft.
David Duncan, defending Christie, said the Elders Court man had no recollection of the incident due to alcohol and cocaine abuse. He urged Sheriff Alastair Carmichael to consider a community-based order despite his lengthy record.
Mr Duncan said: “He thought that this was potentially a place where there was a prospect of getting in.
“There was some intent to use a key but he does accept that there was a moment of realisation where he’s in the property and he knows that it’s not his property.
“Fortunately the items were found shortly thereafter.”
Bajorek’s solicitor, Anika Jethwa, said he was in the midst of a chaotic lifestyle as well as suffering from mental health difficulties.
She said his further breaches of bail and curfew was exacerbated by the coronavirus restrictions.
Sheriff Carmichael deferred sentence on Christie until January for reports to be prepared and continued his bail order.
Prior to sentencing Bajorek to 14 months in prison, he said: “You are in a different position because your convictions are all more recent and they show a persistent course of offending.”
The sentence was backdated to May when Bajorek was first remanded.
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