An Edinburgh man who stole nearly 50 bottles of champagne and wine from a curry house in a late-night raid has been sent to prison for two years.
Andrew Stobbs, 37, stole around £1,000 worth of alcohol during his visit to the award-winning Raj Mahal restaurant in Kinross in 2020.
Later the same day, Stobbs broke into a garden shed and was seen using a bicycle to flee the scene with a variety of stolen garden tools. Sheriff Euan Duthie jailed Stobbs and imposed a further six months supervision when he appeared for sentence at Perth Sheriff Court this week.
READ MORE - East Lothian residents fume as vile graffiti scrawled on primary school bus stop
Stobbs, admitted stealing from the Perthshire High Street restaurant on September 14 2020 to help fund a serious drug habit. He also admitted twice targeting the Kinross 4x4 Centre, a Land Rover dealership on Clashburn Road, and stealing two catalytic converters, a turbocharger and an exhaust pipe, reports the Record.
The court heard Stobbs was eventually caught by police months later when he was caught red-handed jumping out of the window of a house. He was tackled by police as he tried to make his escape through a neighbour's garden.
Fiscal depute Lora Apostalova told the court: "At about 4.30am, on September 14, 2020, a resident at Muirs, Kinross, heard footsteps crunching on the gravel of her garden, heading towards the front gate.
"Looking out her bedroom window, she saw a male carrying long, orange-coloured garden tools, wrapped in a plastic bag. She saw him get onto a bike and cycle away."
At about 7am, her neighbour woke to find her shed had been forced open, with wooden slats removed to get inside. Among the missing items was a hedge trimmer worth £330 and a £139 strimmer.
Ms Apostalova said, on the same day, Stobbs entered the Raj Mahal restaurant on Kinross High Street.
"Owner Jahed Ahmed confirmed that a cash register - valued at £400 - had been taken from the back area of the bar. It contained around £150 worth of money.
"Also taken was about £200 in loose cash, which was in a cupboard under the bar."
The fiscal depute said: "Mr Ahmed also confirmed that within his wine fridge, 38 bottles of various white wines, champagnes and Proseccos were missing from a bottle rack. Boxes containing 10 bottles of white wine were also missing. The missing drink was worth around £1,000."
Stobbs raided the 4x4 Centre on January 19 and February 1 the following year and took items from two vehicles. On February 6, Stobbs was spotted by a neighbour at a darkened, unoccupied property in Montgomery Road, Kinross.
"The witness heard a door banging open and heard items being flung around within," said Ms Apostalova. Police were scrambled to the scene and saw Stobbs jumping out of a window.
"They gave chase and caught the accused in a nearby garden. He was handcuffed and searched. A wrap of cocaine, with an approximate value of £180 to £200, was found on his person."
Solicitor Linda Clark, defending, said: "Mr Stobbs is realistic. All of this conduct stems from a drug habit that Mr Stobbs had."
READ NEXT:
Former Edinburgh school set to become holiday apartments as neighbours fume
Fancy Edinburgh Audi towed away being caught out on yellow line in city centre
West Lothian hospital hits full capacity as flu rates hit 'extraordinary levels'
Scottish man accused of shooting disabled wife could spend the rest of his life in USA jail
Aldi shoppers hail 'classy' £30 Specialbuy product that transforms bedrooms in seconds
