The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Trail of blood left by thief who broke coffee shop window
Ahapless shop raider was found lying nearby in a pool of blood after sustaining a serious leg injury clambering through the window he broke to get in.
William Gillilan, 42, was still clutching the till he had taken during the raid when medics and police turned up to help him.
Officers found a trail of blood leading back to Willows Coffee Shop, which he had broken into just a few minutes earlier.
He had avoided setting off the alarm sensors but was clearly visible doing so on in-house CCTV footage.
Perth Sheriff Court was told Gillilan carried out the bungled raid while on licence, having been freed early from a previous jail term.
Gillilan, of Skinnergate, Perth, admitted breaking into Willows in Perth on December 16 and stealing a till and £150.
He also admitted using a screwdriver to break a car window with intent to rob it on the same day, and breaking into a works van and stealing £700 worth of equipment the day before.
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney said: “Police were contacted by the ambulance service to attend a male suffering from a serious leg injury.
“The ambulance service were with the accused. He was in possession of the cash register and there was a trail of blood leading directly to Willows.
“Police observed a smashed glass panel and a substantial amount of blood directly next to it.
CCTV showed him standing outside with a large paving slab.
“He is then seen to enter the premises. He is seen creeping in slowly and bent over. He stands up fully and walks behind the counter to the till area,” he said.
“He goes behind the counter, removes the till and leaves.”
Mr Sweeney said Gillilan failed to get away with anything from the works van as he had stashed the goods nearby and they were found by the owner.
“He said he could not remember anything because he was on drugs at the time,” he said.
Sentence was deferred for reports and Gillilan was remanded in custody.