THIS KIND OF DOPEY THIEF
What kind of dopey thief breaks in to a stranger’s house, rearranges the furniture, changes clothes, cooks a meal, brushes his teeth then calls police to say he’s locked in?
A DOZY drug user broke into a stranger’s home then claimed he thought the house was his.
Jobless William Young, 54, smashed a window to get in and made himself at home.
He changed his clothes, cooked and ate some chicken and sweetcorn, brushed his teeth and hauled the tumble drier into the lounge.
Young then called police to tell them he was locked in. And when officers held him for another offence, they let him take two bags of “belongings” from the house.
He admitted stealing cash, two scratchcards, clothes, paperwork, two watches and some cosmetics.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday heard Young had just been allocated a new temporary home and believed the house in Lumphinnans, Fife, was it.
He turned up on May 26 after the householder had left and smashed a window at the back to get in.
When the householder got home, he found blood on the floor and the remains of Young’s meal on his bed.
Lee Qumsieh, defending, said Young had been “extremely confused” after taking a legal high for the first time a day or two before. When he was held for the other matter, he gave the items he stole to police.
Mr Qumsieh added: “He’s ashamed and embarrassed. He would like to apologise to the home owner.”
Sheriff Craig McSherry spared Young jail because of the unusual circumstances of the offence. He gave him a community payback order with 12 months’ supervision and told him to pay his victim £275 compensation.