A serial north-east car criminal who stole a £26,000 Mercedes-Benz has been spared a custodial sentence again after he admitted plotting to steal from a north-east house.
Craig Strachan detained in 2013 for selling on stolen vehicles worth £50,000.
But after being released he continued to involve himself in the car crime culture.
In May last year he appeared back in the dock and admitted stealing a Mercedes-Benz M Class.
At the time, Sheriff William Taylor said he was giving him a “lenient” sentence and ordered that he do unpaid work in the community.
But yesterday the 20-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court again after admitting being at a property in Portlethen’s Hareness Drive with in the intention of committing theft.
The incident happened just three months after Sheriff Taylor gave him another chance.
Yesterday the court heard Strachan, of 19 Cadenhead Road, Aberdeen, had been caught on CCTV footage trying the door of the house during the early hours of the morning.
Fiscal depute Katie Begg said that when he discovered the door was locked he walked away.
However, his agent, solicitor Tony Burgess, said his client was “extremely honest” with him.
He said Strachan had approached the door, on August 5, but had realised what he was doing was wrong.
He said as a result he did not even attempt to push at the handle and walked away.
Strachan was also charged with stealing a car and breaking into another on the same day in Portlethen, but his not guilty pleas were accepted by the Crown.
His latest offence was committed while he was on bail.
Two years ago Strachan was sentenced to 19 months detention for dealing in a range of stolen vehicles taken from the Mastrick area of the city.
These included motorbikes, a Porsche and a BMW 730.
At the time the court heard that until Strachan turned 15 he had been an “exemplary child” who did well at school and was a piper.
His agent, Anthony Burgess, said Strachan then fell in with a “bad crowd”.
After being released early from detention in 2012, his family hoped he would get his life back on track. But Strachan became involved in car crime again.
Yesterday, Sheriff Christine McCrossan said he had been doing well on the community payback order he was already on.
She sentenced him to a further 40 hours of unpaid work which have to be completed by September.
