A pair of dopey crooks from Dundee caught on camera stealing cars from a city dealership have been locked up.
Banned drivers Robert Fleming and Alistair Montague ransacked the Kismat Motor Group on East Dock Street and made off with cars worth thousands of pounds last October.
Around the same time, Fleming also stole a Ford Ranger pick-up truck from a man’s driveway in Muirhead.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how the owner was sent a Snapchat video, which showed Fleming driving his vehicle.
Fleming, 26, and Montague, 31, had broken into the car dealership, along with other members of a criminal gang who could not be identified.
Their faces were clearly visible on CCTV and Fleming left a glove in one of the cars.
Kismat Motor Group owner Sufiyan Suleman said at the time the break-in had been a “nightmare” and the damage would cost a five-figure sum to repair.
Jailed
On Tuesday, Sheriff Richard McFarlane jailed the duo and banned them from driving for four-and-a-half years.
He said: “A snapshot was taken and transmitted to the owner through Facebook or similar and that is quite unbelievable.
“No doubt there was planning involved in the offences you committed.
“You knew fine well what you were doing.”
Prosecutor Lynne Mannion said the owner of the Ford Ranger became aware his truck had been stolen at 6.30am as he left for work.
She told the court: “The witness was sent a Snapchat video recording by someone he knew which contained a user, Bob Fleming.
“The brief clip showed an unidentified person travelling on the A90 in his vehicle.
“He was able to identify the vehicle due to it having distinctive modifications.”
CCTV
Mr Suleman had been in Glasgow and returned to find the glass panels of the office door had been smashed and cars were missing.
A white Skoda had been moved a short distance to a nearby car wash, where two hammers were found in the driver’s footwell, along with a glove.
Mrs Mannion added: “CCTV recovered from the locus shows the accused Montague passing a tub of keys to the accused Fleming.
“Montague had an Asda bag with items as well as DVLA documents and plates.
“Both accused were positively identified.
“External CCTV shows the Ford Ranger arrived and various men were seen jumping in and out of different cars.
“Officers confirmed the accused Fleming was seen exiting the Ford Ranger.
“At 4.34am, Fleming enters a Vauxhall Astra and drives off towards the city centre.”
Other gang members
Police were contacted on October 16 to be told the location of the stolen Astra. It was seized and Fleming’s DNA was found within.
Montague was found in the Buttars Road area, where a stolen Renault Clio and Vauxhall Meriva were discovered. His DNA was traced inside the Meriva.
The Ford Ranger was later discovered at an industrial estate in Inverkeithing.
Fleming pled guilty to stealing the Ford Ranger from an address on Dronley Terrace, Muirhead, between October 14 and 15.
He and Montague, prisoners at HMP Perth, admitted breaking into Kismat Motor Group and stealing keys, car plates and documents.
Fleming admitted stealing two of the vehicles and driving while disqualified.
Montague stole two other vehicles and also drove while banned.
Solicitor David Duncan, representing Fleming, said other people were involved and his client did not have the capacity to have orchestrated the crimes.
Fleming and Montague were each sentenced to 28 months in prison.
