Man jailed after stealing £2 and two packs of biscuits from Dundee charity shop

A thief broke into a charity shop where he claims he used to work and stole £2 and two packets of biscuits.

Ryan Mitchell, 37, was jailed for 12 months after admitting breaking into Shelter on Perth Road.

Mitchell was caught after police found his blood on smashed glass at the shop’s front door, where a panel had been broken to gain entry.

Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin told Dundee Sheriff Court that the shop was locked and secured at 5pm on July 30 by a member of staff.

The fiscal said: “At 8.30am the next day an employee attended and found a panel of the shop’s front door was smashed.

“There was glass on the ground with blood staining on it.

“When the employee went inside, the shop was in a state of disarray and a money tin that had previously had £2 in it was empty.”

There were also two packets of biscuits missing from a cupboard in the staff room.

Nothing else was taken from the shop.

Police were contacted and officers analysed the blood staining and found it matched Mitchell’s DNA.

Speaking for himself in court, Mitchell said: “I used to work for Shelter in Dundee and I was pretty successful, or I thought I was.

“Then I don’t know what happened and I ended up in prison.

“I used to break into shops a long time ago – I don’t do that anymore.”

Despite his comments, Mitchell admitted a charge of breaking into Shelter, on Perth Road, and stealing coins totalling £2 and two packets of biscuits, on July 31.

Shelter store manager Karen Kelbie, 51, said at the time of the break in: “When I arrived at the store the glass was smashed and I contacted the police straight away.

“All we could see that had actually been taken was two packs of biscuits from a packet of five.”

Shelter declined to comment on Mitchell’s sentence.