A have-a-go hero tracked down and challenged a thief who nicked his car in Aberdeen.
The man had left his car running while he nipped inside his home on Great Northern Road to get something.
But when he came back out his motor had vanished.
When he checked his CCTV the shocked resident saw opportunistic criminal James Smith, 38, enter his car and drive off.
The man then spotted his car while out walking later on he challenged Smith, who was with another male, and the pair scarpered, throwing the keys back at their victim as they fled.
Smith appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously pled guilty to two charges over the incident.
He admitted stealing the vehicle, and driving without insurance.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told the court during the afternoon of April 19 the man had parked his car, a silver Kia, outside his home and left the engine running while he went inside to collect something.
Mr Townsend said: “He returned outside and the car was gone.
“He viewed his own CCTV which showed the accused enter the drivers door and drive off.”
Later the same day, around 4.45pm the man was out walking and spotted his car parked outside an address.
Mr Townsend said the man saw Smith, who he recognised from the CCTV, and another male walking over to the car and ran over shouting: “Give me the keys, that’s my car!”
The fiscal added: “The accused and the other male ran away from the car. The keys were thrown back towards the man.”
Police were contacted and traced Smith.
Defence lawyer John Hardie said his client had pled guilty at the earliest opportunity and accepted it was “awful behaviour”.
Sheriff Graeme Napier told Smith, of Whitehouse Street, Aberdeen: “You probably deserve to go to prison for this opportunistic crime, but taking into account all the circumstances and the progress you have started to make I’m minded to give you another chance.”
He handed Smith a 12-month supervision order, eight-month restriction of liberty order, eight-month driving ban and £270 fine.
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