A bumbling Christmas Day thief broke into an Aberdeen city centre pub through the service hatch and stopped to munch on some muffins and have a snooze – before escaping with cash.
And cops later discovered hapless Steven McCulloch even marked on his calendar “got Christmas money” on the day of the break-in at the Craftsman Company on Guild Street, which was captured on CCTV.
Sheriff Graeme Napier told the 41-year-old the public and business owners needed “protection” from his crimes and jailed him for 20 months when he appeared in court.
Depute fiscal Felicity Merson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court McCulloch had been walking through the city centre at around 3am that morning when he began to “tamper” with the service hatch at the bar on Guild Street.
After managing to unlock the hatch he then “forced the cellar door, causing some damage”.
He then went upstairs to the till area and found a money box containing £500 in change and placed it up his jumper.
Mrs Merson said McCulloch then “walked around the bar apparently disorientated” before taking a box of alcohol and trying to leave through the front door. However, unable to unlock it, he “started to kick the door but could not get out”.
Unsuccessful, he abandoned the booze by the door.
The depute fiscal said: “The accused took muffins from the fridge and went to the toilet area where he remained until 9.15am.”
Following his 40 winks, a refreshed McCulloch returned to the bar area and discovered a rucksack containing £512 in takings plus petty cash.
He then managed to leave via the rear door and “did so while eating a strawberry tart stolen from within”.
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Mrs Merson said McCulloch was taken into custody on December 29 when officers noticed an entry on his calendar on Christmas Day reading “got Christmas money”.
McCulloch, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, pled guilty to theft by housebreaking and also to breaching bail conditions by being outwith his home at the time of the offence.
Defence lawyer David Sutherland said his client had issues with “mental health, alcohol and drug misuse”.
Sheriff Napier ordered McCulloch to be jailed for 20 months.
The Craftsman Company declined to comment.
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