Thief caught on CCTV while he attempted to dismantle system

A thief had his entire face captured on CCTV as he pulled the plug on the system in a bid to hide his crime.

Craig Henderson broke into the property near Errol, which was under renovation, while its owners were away on holiday.

The 38-year-old hoped to settle a drugs debt by carrying out the raid, having been mistakenly informed that there were Krugerrands – valuable gold South African coins – being kept there. But he was only able to make off with a haul worth less than £200.

Depute fiscal Tina Dickie told the court that the property was covered by nine cameras, which all failed at the same time.

She said: “At 1pm on October 9 the owner left with his caravan for 10 days’ holiday. Around 3pm on October 20 they returned. Due to the unkempt nature of the locus nothing suspicious was immediately noticed.”

However the owners found items – including a tablet computer – had been moved and checked their cameras.

Ms Dickie said: “All the cameras failed at 2.42pm on October 16 2016. One camera showed a male enter the room at 2.39pm – he looks up at the camera, showing his full face before the footage is lost.”

Solicitor John McLaughlin, defending, said Henderson has not profited from the theft – having handed the stolen items to another.

Sheriff William Wood jailed him for 16 months after he admitted carrying out the theft.

Henderson, described as a prisoner at Perth, pleaded guilty to breaking into a property at the Grange on October 16 last year and stealing a watch, a rucksack, a quantity of cash, and a box containing a quantity of jewellery.