A hapless crook broke into a city bar and made off with fizzy juice just three days into the first lockdown.
Desperate Scott Mitchell also entered unlocked cars and tried to break into another bar between March 29 and April 1.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how Mitchell was caught with a can of Coke that he nabbed after forcing his way into Clarks on Lindsay Street. Around £1,000 of damage was caused as a result of Mitchell’s actions.
He was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to the offences.
Fiscal depute Lynne Mannion revealed how CCTV captured Mitchell, 44, forcing his way into the premises.
She said: “At 6.55am, the accused looked around the door area before kicking it multiple times and gaining entry.
“He wandered around and searched behind the till, looking for something of value.
“He took multiple tins of juice and exited the locus to Johnston Street. The value of the damage to the door and till was around £1,000.”
On the same day, Mitchell was arrested after he was seen acting suspiciously in the North George Street area.
Officers witnessed Mitchell clutching a holdall before running off towards Ballindean Crescent.
Mitchell had taken items from a car and was also found with three sets of keys and a knife which he had used as a tool to force entry.
He was not taken into custody and instead given an undertaking to appear at court due to the initial covid-19 regulations.
Mitchell would go on to offend two days later after he was seen entering an unlocked car on Lochee Road.
The driver returned to the car after delivering food and saw Mitchell run off. She managed to flag down a passing police officer and he was quickly apprehended.
No items were taken from the vehicle.
Mitchell, a prisoner of HMP Perth, admitted stealing a set of keys from Ballantrae Road and possessing a knife on Ballindean Road on March 29 before breaking into Clark’s on Lindsay Street, North Lindsay Street, and stealing soft drinks.
He also repeatedly kicked the door of and tried to break-into The West House, Westport, on the same date.
On April 1, Mitchell entered an unlocked car on Lochee Road with the intent of stealing items.
A guilty plea was tendered to a sixth charge of stealing a set of house keys from a property on South Tay Street on March 22.
Defence solicitor Gary McIlravey said Mitchell’s behaviour was triggered by his long-standing drug addiction.
He told Sheriff Alastair Carmichael: “He is appearing with is eyes fairly wide open. There is no need for reports given his record.”
Mitchell was jailed for 24 months.
