Thief caught running from West End restaurant with till and computer
A THIEF was caught raiding a popular Byres Road restaurant shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Liam Anderson broke into Tony Macaroni in the West End last month and attempted to steal a till.
The court was told a local resident had heard a bang from outside her window and could see Anderson kicking the door of Toni Macaroni.
She called the emergency services. Shortly after, people walking past the restaurant saw the thief coming under the smashed front door carrying a till.
The heard the group challenged Anderson who dropped the till and ran off.
Police carried out a search of the area and found Anderson, who had returned to Byres Road and was pointed out by witnesses from earlier in the evening.
He was arrested and officers searched him, finding a black computer tablet in his jacket pocket.
Both items were later returned to the restaurant.
In a separate incident on January 10, Anderson was caught on CCTV breaking into a convenience store around 7am.
The shopkeeper received a phone call to say there was an incident at his shop and when he arrived he discovered the door had been damaged.
He checked CCTV and saw Anderson with an accomplice.
Anderson was traced by police and found to have bank notes and coins in his jacket and trouser pockets that had been stolen during the housebreaking.
The money was returned to the shopkeeper.
Anderson’s defence lawyer told the court his client had been accommodated by social work at the age of 11 and had faced extreme difficulties in his teenage years and beyond.
Anderson, who appeared in court on Monday on his 24th birthday, was sentenced to prison.
Sheriff Daniel Kelly said: “I take into account everything your lawyer has said on your behalf.
“There is no other reasonable sentence other than a period of imprisonment.”
The sheriff handed down 80 days for each offence to run concurrently.