A thief posed as a whisky salesman and an injured cyclist so he could steal thousands of pounds from a hotel and pub.
David Sim, 42, stole a cash box, cash and blank cheques worth £1,500 from the Newmachar Hotel at 10.20pm on March 19.c
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “A member of staff entered the area behind the bar and observed the accused loitering.
“The accused indicated he was there to sell whisky and asked the member of staff if he was interested in purchasing whisky.
“The member of staff advised he was not and asked him to leave which he did.
“He then noticed the cash float was missing.”
Sim struck again a couple of weeks later targeting the Black Bull Inn in Inverurie on April 2.
Mr Townsend said: “The accused entered the front door and advised he required medical help. He stated he’d cycled from Port Elphinstone and had crashed and injured his back.”
One of the customers in the bar at the time was a retired paramedic and “formed the opinion the accused was feigning injury”.
Mr Townsend said: “A short time after that the accused advised he was feeling better and left. Ten minutes after that it was noted the safe door in the cellar was ajar and £1,000 was missing.”
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Sim, of Elphinstone Road, Port Elphinstone, previously pled guilty to two charges of theft over the incidents. He also admitted shoplifting, stealing a purse containing bank cards and money. And Sim further admitted two fraud charges and one attempted fraud charge relating to use of the stolen bank card.
Defence agent John Ferrie said his client had taken a week’s worth of medication in one day and could not remember the incident. He said: “As stated in the report he is disgusted with the way he’s behaved. He’s now trying to get a move away from that area because of his embarrassment in the way he acted.”
Sim was jailed for a year.
Speaking after the sentencing, Mike Stuart, manager of the Black Bull Inn, said: “I’m glad he’s been caught and he’s now serving his time for it.”
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