Crack-addled Dundee thief jailed after writing off Renault Clio in late-night scratch card dash

A Dundee crack addict has been jailed after writing off a Renault Clio he stole while high on the deadly drug.

Thief Connor Mackintosh, 28, was brought from remand at HMP Perth to Dundee Sheriff Court to admit a string of offences.

After raiding a home in Kingsway Place, Dundee, he made off in the resident’s Clio, a bank card, a £2,100 Tag Heuer watch and other gadgets.

Mackintosh used the bank card to buy scratch cards at petrol stations until the owner got a notification on his phone.

He was caught by police early in the morning but could not remember where he had abandoned the stolen car.

He was jailed for almost two years and banned from driving.

Scratch card spree

Fiscal depute Jennifer Bairner explained residents heard the Clio being started shortly after 2am.

Mackintosh was seen in the driver’s seat, with another man in the passenger seat.

Mackintosh was trying to reverse, before taking items from the car and making off.

At 3am, a woman was woken again by the car door opening and Mackintosh drove off towards the Kingsway.

He was next seen at 4.30am at Invergowrie, where he used a bank card he had stolen to buy a bottle of Coke and scratch cards worth £83.90.

He later bought another £50 worth of scratch cards and then a strawberry milkshake and more scratch cards totalling £53.

Around 20 minutes later, he went to the Kingsway West BP garage and tried to by £2.60 worth of scratch cards but the transaction was declined and a notification was sent to the card owner’s phone.

Caught by police

When the owner got up, he noticed his car was gone and a neighbour’s garden wall had signs of being crashed into.

More than £1,000 worth of damage had also been done to the owner’s other car, a Hyundai, which was still parked outside.

His wallet and other items including the luxury watch, two tablets and a Nintendo Switch had also been stolen from his home.

Police were contacted and Mackintosh was found at Harefield Road before 8am, wearing the stolen watch and still with the bank card.

He seemed intoxicated and told police he had smoked crack cocaine and could not remember where he had left the Clio.

It was found on Wedderburn Street but had to be written off.

Jailed

Mackintosh pled guilty to breaking into the house and stealing the car and other items on August 14.

He admitted driving while unfit through drink or drugs and uninsured and pretending to petrol station staff he was the rightful owner of the bank card he stole and fraudulently buying scratch cards with it.

Mackintosh was on bail at the time.

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael jailed him for 21 months in total, backdated to August 15, and banned him from driving for a year.

Mackintosh’s solicitor Jim Laverty said: “To put things into some perspective, it would appear Mr Mackintosh had fallen into the company of others who are perhaps a little more involved on a serious level with the criminal justice system.

“He was, as he indicates to me, hopelessly addicted to drugs. Mr Mackintosh does not attempt to excuse his behaviour.”

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