Airport thief steals from‘honesty tin’

A thief stole more than £30, contained in what was described as “an honesty tin,” after he was seen acting suspiciously at Scone Airport.

Perth Sheriff Court was told yesterday that 30-year-old Ryan Wishart was challenged by an aerodrome worker and couldn’t give any explanation why he was there.

He was told to leave the area but was then spotted approaching one of the hangars on the sprawling site.

The employee “kept an eye” on him and saw him riding off on an orangecoloured motorbike.

He told a colleague about the suspicious activity and it was subsequently discovered that the honesty tin at the Scottish Aero Club, used to collect refreshment money, was missing.

The two men then searched the grounds and, using binoculars, saw there were lights on in workshops some distance away.

“They traced the accused, along with another person, confronted them and demanded the return of the money and the tin,” explained depute fiscal Tina Dickie.

After about 15 minutes of “rummaging about,” £31.30 was handed over.

Wishart, formerly of Firbank Road, Perth, and now of Victoria Street, Alyth, admitted stealing the tin and its contents from the aero club premises on January 10.

Sheriff William Wood agreed to call for background reports before passing sentence. The sheriff noted it was “some time” since he was last in prison.

But he warned the accused: “I don’t discount or exclude the possibility of a prison sentence in due course.”

Wishart, who admitted a number of previous convictions, will discover his fate on February 15.