A gamekeeper planted an infrared camera to snare thieves who stole 30 ducks during an overnight raid at a Fife farm.
Brandon Robb, 17, and Benjamin Murray, 29, were caught on film carrying out the robbery at Meikle Balquhomrie Farm, Leslie.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Wednesday, the men, both from Leslie, admitted stealing the 10-week-old ducks.
The birds were owned by Mark Robson, 37, who runs the company Pigeonalldaylong.
He said: “They were only 10 weeks old, were barely able to fly and had only been out on the ponds for about four weeks.
“There’s no meat on them at that age. They’re skinny wee things and have hardly got any feathers on them.”
Mark had released two ponds just prior to the theft and would check on and feed the ducks every day.
“I went in there in the morning and noticed they were scattering all over the place and were a bit nervous,” he said.
“I’ve got fox snares and some of those had been pulled, but it was obvious they had been pulled by a human foot so I knew somebody had been in there. I put a trail cam in, which I use when I’m managing the deer.
“It is a battery-operated infra-red camera, which you can stick out in a wood and you can pick out which deer are suitable for culling and which aren’t.
“I stuck one of them at the pond and the very next night at 1am I got film and pictures of them in action and gave it to the police.”
Mr Robson was left angry by the theft of the ducks and the attack on his business.
“There is a lot of work involved in rearing these ducks. They are part of my livelihood and what I earn a living from.
“I’ve lost an income. It’s like they were going around stealing clothes out of a shop. These people don’t care about people’s belongings, livestock or livelihoods.”
Robb, of Paterson Park, and Murray, of Greenside Court, admitted stealing 30 ducks from Meikle Balquhomrie Farm in Leslie between July 29 and August 1 last year.
Sheriff Richard McFarlane deferred sentencing for social work reports and to seek advice from the Children’s Panel with regards to Robb.