A crook staked his claim as Scotland’s most brazen criminal after he was caught on camera stealing almost £4,000 and helping himself to booze from a city restaurant.
CCTV footage snared Gary Tardito drinking behind the bar, updating his Facebook page and even sleeping during a near nine-hour jolly within the Giddy Goose on Perth Road back in February.
Tardito’s drug-fuelled escapades were no laughing matter for the eatery’s owners after he stole 72 bottles of alcohol, an iPad, a laptop and £3,800.
The 39-year-old told police that he had spent most of the money on drugs.
A sheriff slammed the thief’s conduct and jailed him for two years after he pleaded guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court.
It was revealed that Tardito – a man with a lengthy list of previous convictions – had managed to enter the building through sliding patio doors to the side of the premises.
The alarm was raised after staff arriving for work discovered the restaurant had been ransacked.
CCTV was immediately reviewed and Tardito was captured coming and going from the building on three separate occasions.
Prosecutor Eilidh Robertson said: “CCTV captured the accused stealing items from all over the premises and stealing from inside the till.
“He was seen crawling on the floor while wearing gloves and stopped at points to drink alcohol from the bar.”
Tardito was also captured opening a safe in the basement and attempted to cover his face after spotting the CCTV camera.
Police managed to identify Tardito and traced him to his home address.
The crook told police: “The drink’s in the cupboard. I’ve spent the cash. I’ve got a raging drug problem. I’m sorry.”
Officers only managed to find 54 of the 72 stolen bottles of alcohol. The iPad and four bottle stoppers were recovered but not the laptop.
Tardito revealed during a police interview that he had spent the money on drugs.
Appearing via video link from HMP Perth, Tardito pleaded guilty to stealing an iPad, a laptop, four bottle stoppers, 72 bottles of alcohol and £3,807.06 from the Giddy Goose, Perth Road, between February 23-24.
He also admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice by rubbing alcohol onto gloves that he was wearing and onto various items that he had touched.
Defence solicitor Paul Parker-Smith said Tardito had no recollection of the incident having taken street valium before making his way into the restaurant.
Mr Parker-Smith told Sheriff Lorna Drummond that Tardito had made positive steps to turn his life around, including getting work on the construction site for Dundee’s Hotel Indigo, but had spiralled back into drug addiction after meeting up with an old friend.
Sheriff Drummond jailed Tardito for 24 months.
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