Gems heist trio caught by singed trousers

THREE men involved in an armed heist at a jewellers were caught after one burnt his trousers as their getaway car was torched.

Steven Douglas, 24, Robert McIndoe, 22, and Andrew Paton, also 22, took part in the raid at the Wallace Allan shop in Ayr town centre in November last year.

But, the trio fled empty handed when a staff member pressed a panic alarm. Police swooped on them later that day – and it was then they noticed Douglas’s singed tracksuit bottoms.

The trio yesterday pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted robbery when they appeared at the High Court in Glasgow. A judge deferred sentencing until next month for reports.

The court heard that three female workers were in the jewellers when McIndoe and Paton charged in just before 1pm. CCTV showed the pair were both wearing forensic-style white paper suits.

McIndoe, who was armed with what appeared to be a handgun, yelled: “If anyone phones the police, we’ll shoot you.”

Paton struck a display cabinet with an axe and one of the workers pressed a panic alarm, causing smoke to fill the shop.

Just seconds after entering, the accused raced out emptyhanded and into their getaway car, which was driven by Douglas. The trio, all of Glasgow, then ditched the Ford in a nearby car park before the vehicle was set on fire.

They escaped in a taxi, but the three were later intercepted by police alerted to the raid.

Prosecutor Shanti Maguire said that as Douglas was detained, officers – aware that the Ford had been set alight – spotted his grey tracksuit bottoms were burnt.

Officers also discovered a small imitation black handgun and an axe in a holdall.