Two blundering thieves were jailed for four months after stealing more than £2,000 worth of copper cable.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how Daniel Chadwick, 20, and Christopher Lee, 22, were caught by police officers as they tried to escape from the BT compound on the city’s Glenearn Road after being disturbed by employees.
The members of staff heard noises as they unlocked the gates to the depot and spotted two males climbing over a fence.
They contacted the police, who made their way to the scene immediately and came across Chadwick and Lee heading in the opposite direction.
It transpired that the pair had cut a 200m reel of copper cable into 2m lengths. BT staff confirmed that, in doing so, they had rendered the cable useless to the company.
Defence agent David McPherson told the court his clients were “extremely remorseful”.
The pair, both of Gloucester Road, St Helens, admitted that on June 9, they stole the copper cable from the BT compound.
Sheriff Michael Fletcher told them: “This is a serious offence because you have destroyed a large amount of cable, worth something in the region of £2,000.
“It is also an offence which is becoming more and more prevalent, partly because of the rise in value of scrap metal,” said the sheriff.