A construction worker stole a van from a north-east site and drove it 130 miles to Glasgow before abandoning the damaged vehicle.
James McCarthy was working for McLaughlin and Harvey in Stonehaven when he decided to take the white Ford Transit on March 15.
The 32-year-old turned up in one work vehicle before trying the doors of others and eventually leaving with another van.
McCarthy admitted a single charge of theft of a motor vehicle at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday although he was not present in the dock.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told the court McCarthy’s arrival and subsequent theft was captured on camera.
He said he later told the site manager from Stonehaven that he had “messed up” and gave him a Glasgow postcode so he could get the van.
Mr Townsend said: “He has gone in and tried the door handles of several vehicles. They checked CCTV and saw this.
“He arrived in another vehicle and left it there.
“The accused contacted the site manager through WhatsApp and said he had messed up.
“He said he was on a train to London and the told the manager vis WhatsApp the postcode where the Ford Transit was.
“The site manager found the vehicle outside a block of flats and recovered it. Both wing mirrors and the number plate were missing.”
Defence agent Neil McRobert said that McCarthy’s wages he was due for his work in Stonehaven had been arrested to pay for the damage to the van.
He said: “My understanding is that he was due £1,200 in wages and that this has been retained against the damage.
“He was at the site and had use of another vehicle. He drops that vehicle at the site and takes the vehicle in the charge. There was a dispute over wages.
“He is a site manager in England and supports his partner and her five children.”
Sheriff Graeme Napier fined McCarthy, of Quarryknoe Street, Glasgow, £840.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.