A Romanian immigrant made a bad choice when he broke a window and moved into an unoccupied house in an up-market part of Inverness.
For Constantin Rosu, 36, chose the home of a burly retired police officer who was far from amused when he returned to find his home had been treated like a squat.
Former Northern Constabulary sergeant Peter MacLean immediately swung back into police mode and grabbed hold of Rosu to make a citizen’s arrest.
And the 60-year-old even took a mug-shot of his prisoner who by this time had clasped his hands together and was begging him not to call the police.
But the hapless housebreaker was swiftly handed over to Mr MacLean’s former colleagues and yesterday he appeared for trial at Inverness Sheriff Court after pleading not guilty to theft by housebreaking on April 14 this year.
When police arrested him, they found a mobile phone, battery charger and skean dhu belonging to Mr MacLean in Rosu’s rucksack.
Mr MacLean said Rosu had left his house in the Culduthel area in a mess after rifling through personal papers and his computer. There were also pools of urine on the bathroom floor and the toilet had not been flushed.
Mr MacLean said: “My mother had just died and I was sorting out her affairs. I had gone away for a couple of days and when I got back I discovered the broken pane of glass and the patio doors at the rear had been forced open.
“I made sure I locked up the house securely before I went away.
“I went inside and got the shock of my life when I was confronted by Rosu.
“When he saw me, he just froze. I grabbed hold of him so he wouldn’t get away and phoned the police.”
He added: “I was a police officer for 30 years and took a photograph of him in case he had a knife and stabbed me. I wanted to have evidence if he got away.
“He genuinely begged for me not to call the police, hence the pose.
“He had been reading all the condolence cards and private legal correspondence. They were scattered around where he had been sitting.”
Mr MacLean said he was furious.
He added: “I was fit to burst, but I was pleased though I counted to 10. The house was a mess, the toilet was disgusting and he had been on my computer and printer. I had to change all my passwords. I really felt violated, especially so soon after my mother’s death.”
Rosu claimed in court yesterday that he thought the house belonged to a friend and he was staying there until he arrived home.
He told the court he had never been in trouble before, and was not stealing from the house.
He said: “It was a mistake. I thought it was the house of a friend I had helped. I went to the wrong address.
“I knocked on the door which had a broken pane of glass and I thought I heard someone inside. A door was unlocked and I went inside.
“No-one was there and I decided to wait for my friend. I made myself a sandwich and slept there for a night. Then when Mr Peter came in, I realised it was not my friend.
“I tried to tell him but he held me and phoned the police. I told them the items were there before I was taken away. I put them there by mistake.”
The court heard Rosu confessed to police that he had broken into the house. When fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart asked why the contradiction, he replied: “I felt intimidated by the police. What I have said today is the truth.”
But Sheriff Margaret Neilson didn’t believe Rosu’s story and found him guilty.
Sentence was deferred until October 2 for a background report, with R.