Thief who boasted online about £50,000 raid at designer store jailed

A thief who was snared when he boasted about stealing tens of thousands of pounds worth of stock from an Aberdeen designer store has been jailed.

Alexander Evans, 28, admitted looting Overhype store in the city centre during the Covid-19 pandemic, making off with £50,000 in high-end clothing and footwear – including a signed glove by world championship boxer Floyd Mayweather.

Following the raid, which took place between the night of November 30 and the morning of December 1 last year, the Granite City store was left stripped of nearly all its merchandise.

Appearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Evans also pleaded guilty to a drugs charge and of attempting to abscond from police custody following his arrest.

He was sentenced to two years behind bars.

‘I couldn’t believe it when we walked in – we were speechless’

Reacting to Evan’s sentence, Overhype owner Sam Rattray, 19, said: “It doesn’t really put me up or down, but I’m glad he got punished for what he did.”

The total value of goods stolen from the store was £50,000, with £40,000 worth of stock recovered and returned to the owner.

Mr Rattray added: “We couldn’t believe it on the day we walked in and found the shop like that – we were speechless.

“We worked so hard to get the shop in good shape. It was a brand new shop and we’d literally spent months doing it up.

“We were open for a month and had pre-ordered the security equipment, but with the coronavirus delays, it was taking ages.

“We had to open before we got it all installed, so they couldn’t have caught us at a better time.

“We’ve managed to get most of the stuff back, but there’s still some stock missing.”

Accused was traced after he ‘boasted’ about theft online

Following the robbery, police found a black surgical glove in a nearby lane that was forensically examined and linked to Evans.

Mr Rattray was also sent a video via Facebook which showed his stock and Evans walking through his flat boasting about the items he had snatched.

Fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar told the court: “In the video, Mr Evans also indicated that he planned to do the same at a couple of other high-end shops.

“Mr Rattray showed the video to his business partner who immediately recognised the accused as having been in the shop the day prior to the break-in.

“On December 4 2020 police attended at the accused’s flat. The door was insecure and police entered in order to trace the accused, who had outstanding apprehension warrants.

“The accused along with piles of stolen clothes, accessories and footwear were found within.

“Police also recovered a hammer and crowbar from the bedroom of the flat.”

Defence agent told court that accused is ‘talented tattoo artist’

During the search, officers also found more than 26 grams of cocaine, worth around £1,200.

Evans, originally from East Sussex, was also charged with attempting to flee police custody in December 2020 while he was being taken to be medically assessed after he lied about consuming heroin.

Defence agent Graham Morrison told the court that Evans had suffered from drug addiction since he was a teenager, but was also a talented tattoo artist.

He added: “His intention is to return to Eastbourne and begin working in that area again.”

Mr Morrison handed Sheriff Morag McLaughlin a letter from Evans and some pictures of his tattoo work.

Sentencing the 28-year old, she told him: “I think you’re work is impressive and I hope you will one day be able to fulfil your promise.

“Having said that Mr Evans, the value of this theft and the devastation to the owners when most of their stock was removed.

“In addition to that, when you were in police custody you tried to run away from them.”

Sheriff McLaughlin sentenced Evans, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, to 24 months in prison backdated to December 7 2020.