A bungling Aberdeen thief tried to sell a stolen mountain bike online only for the owner to respond to the advert and take it back.
Alistair Bond took the bicycle from a property in the city’s Gillespie Crescent on June 2 last year.
The 36-year-old then posted that it was for sale for £100 on an online forum and it was recognised by the woman he stole it from.
Bond appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court via video-link and pled guilty to stealing the cycle as well as stealing another bicycle from Royal Cornhill Hospital.
Fiscal depute Christy Ward said: “The complainer secured the bike at her home address and went to bed.
“The next day the bike was no longer there. The complainer searched the internet and found a listing for it on a site called Buy, Sell Aberdeenshire.
“The bike had been posted for sale for £100. The complainer contacted the accused saying she was interested in buying the bike.
“When they met she took the bike back from the accused and he did not challenge this.”
Defence agent Iain Hingston said: “He dabbles in substances and this is the most unprofessional attempt to steal a bike as he is selling it under his own name.
“He accepts full responsibility for this.”
Sheriff Kevin Duffy fined Bond, whose address was given in court papers as Menzies Road, Aberdeen, £300.
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