Housebreaker ran straight into arms of cops as he fled the scene

Man stole garden tools and wire cutters

A brazen housebreaker was caught red- handed after smashing his way into a luxury home in Paisley, a court was told.

Chancer David Hay, 45, was chased out of the property in the town’s leafy Craw Road by an angry householder who caught him skulking in the hallway.

Hay dived through a broken patio door, cutting his hand, and ran into the arms of cops after he had been targeting properties.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard the drug addict broke into a shed at Craw Road and removed garden tools before breaking into a nearby home where he was disturbed rifling around for possessions.

Fiscal depute Pamela Brady told the court a witness Mr Hughes was woken at 5am on October 18 last year by a “scraping” noise and he noticed items had been moved around his garden when he looked out the window.

She added the second householder, Mr Gavin, was awoken by the sound of smashing coming from his kitchen when he went downstairs to investigate.

She said: “He made his way downstairs and saw the accused in the hallway. His house alarm had gone off.

“The accused was trying to leave the house. He shouted at the accused who ran into the kitchen and left the house through the patio window which had been smashed.

“A gas cannister, normally

Advertising Feature outside in the garden, was now lying in the kitchen. Police were called and they attended very quickly.

“En route to the address they saw the accused running away. His hand had been cut.

“He was apprehended by police officers.”

The fiscal added cops spoke to both householders who confirmed details of items which had been stolen from their properties.

Hay, of the town’s Neilston Road, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a quantity of garden tools from a shed at Craw Road.

He also admitted stealing sunglasses, a pair of wire cutters and a blue hooded top from a house at Craw Road.

Defence agent Terry Gallanagh said the accused is an addict who is currently subject to a drug treatment and testing order.

He added: “At the time of this offence he was still show positive for morphine. Later tests proved negative.

“However at his last review, your brother Sheriff McCartney, gave him a stern warning about his progress on the order.”

Sheriff Seith Ireland tore a strip off the accused telling him: “This is a very serious matter.

“Breaking into someone’s private abode causes significant upset and goes well beyond a loss of property.

“People well know the disturbance c aused by housebreaking strikes at the very heart of their sense of well-being.”

He continued matters until August 23 when Hay will discover his fate.