Anti-crime ‘poster girl’ stole collection of coins from OAP

Aone-time Angus anti-crime poster girl stole a pensioner’s commemorative coin collection and cash.

Kathleen Carnegie talked her way into his flat and stole 40 coins collected by the Arbroath OAP, who gathered rare and special editions.

She also banknotes.

Carnegie pounced when he went to the kitchen for a cigarette.

She was caught with £50-worth of the coins after overdosing but the elderly victim remains out of pocket.

At Forfar Sheriff Court, she admitted the theft and a string of other offences and was ordered to engage with the Glen Isla project for three months.

In 2019, Carnegie was held up as an example of someone who had turned their life around with the help of the same rehabilitation programme.

Fiscal depute Erika Watson said the victim initially heard knocking on his neighbour’s door, before his own.

He let Carnegie in to use the toilet.

“She then attended his living room, sat on the sofa and struck up a conversation with him.

“During this time, she appeared to be looking around the room.

“At the time, (the man) had several bags of coins and notes around the room.

“They had a conversation for a brief period.”

Carnegie identified herself as Michelle – her younger sister.

The householder went to the kitchen for a smoke and after being left alone, Carnegie announced she was leaving.

When the man returned to the living room his money collection was missing.

Carnegie had taken a bag of 20 £1 coins, a bag of 20 took £30 in £2 coins, a £10 note and a £20 note.

Ms Watson explained the money had been special denominations minted to signify and commemorate historical landmarks.

Around an hour and a half after visiting the pensioner, police were called to attend when Carnegie was found unresponsive.

Officers found her to be in possession of a bag containing £50 in commemorative coins.

Carnegie, 44, pled guilty to stealing money from the home of the

Arbroath pensioner on July 6 2022.

Carnegie admitted further crimes during her appearance last week.

She assaulted two PCS and had cocaine at West Bell Street HQ, Dundee, on September 1 2022.

At Forfar B&M, she stole artificial flowers and a shopping bag and behaved in a threatening or abusive manner towards an employee on May 20 last year, while on four bail orders.

She admitted a fourth complaint, that at Taranty Road Bestone in Forfar she stole ice cream and vapes and acted abusively to the shopkeeper.

Solicitor Billy Rennie explained his client had a “very, very difficult upbringing”.

Sheriff Mungo Bovey told Carnegie if she did not engage satisfactorily with the Glen Isla Project for three months “I don’t see any alternative but to return you to custody”.

He added: “Keep a civil tongue in your head at all times or I will jail you.”

Carnegie, from Forfar, is due back in the dock on July 11.

BETTER TIMES: Kathleen Carnegie when she was hailed by the Glen Isla Project.