A serial thief who robbed three taxi drivers of their takings was finally foiled when a brave cabbie locked the doors of his cab and drove him straight to a police station.
Alexander Murison, 41, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted stealing the evening’s earnings and change bag from drivers in three separate incidents across the Granite City.
Murison also admitted attempted to get a lift from a stranger with a large kitchen knife sticking out of his pocket.
He pleaded guilty to three charges of theft and one of being in possession of a knife.
Stealing from drivers is a common theme with Murison.
Accused robbed three drivers
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told the court that Murison had got into the backseat of a taxi on Esslemeont Avenue on July 3 2020.
On arrival at the Stockethill Court he got out of the car and opened the driver’s door, handing over £10 to cover the ride.
The cabbie later realised that a bag of change containing £70 was missing from the storage compartment in the driver’s door.
On April 3 2021 another driver arrived at Stockethill Court to pick up a fare when Murison opened the door asking if it was for “Downie”, which it was not.
That driver also later realised that his change float, containing around £70, was missing.
On the same night, Murison got into another taxi and struck up conversation with the driver.
However, on this occasion, the eagle-eyed driver spotted Murison grabbing a blue bag containing the night’s taking of £300.
Police met taxi at Queen Street
Murison asked to be taken to Middlefield but the driver was having none of it.
Ms Simpson said: “The complainer told him that he would not take him anywhere until the blue bag was returned to him and told the accused that he was going to contact the police.
“The accused agreed to return the blue bag as long as the police were not contacted and handed it over but it was missing the £300.”
During the course of the journey, Murison was seen throwing something out of the rear door so the quick-thinking driver locked his car using his side controls and called nearby Queen Street Police Station.
Officers met the taxi at Queen Street and Murison was arrested.
The £300 was not recovered.
The following day Murison was at it again, when he stopped a woman as she was driving her car on Wingate Road and opened the door to demand a lift.
“The witness did not know the accused and was alarmed,” Ms Simpson said.
“She told him she would not give him a lift and noticed a large silver kitchen style blade sticking out of his pocket.”
The woman closed the door and drove off before contacting the police.
Further along the street, Murison asked a passerby for a cigarette and the kitchen knife was spotted again.
Murison was arrested by police on Hayton Road, Aberdeen, but no knife was found.
‘You are a prolific and persistent offender’
Defence agent George Mathers told the court that Murison had explained to him that, at 41, he was now in the second part of his life and “wanted to change”.
“He has been in trouble for so long and been in jail so many times that there is a pattern here,” Mr Mathers said.
“He really wants to change his life and is motivated to do so and stop offending.”
Sheriff Graham Buchanan described Murison as a “prolific and persistent offender”.
He added: “Quite a lot of your previous convictions involve serious offences.
“I’m not at all confident that if I was to impose a non-custodial sentence today that you would cooperate with that.”
Sheriff Buchanan ordered that Murison, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, return to prison and serve out 101 days of an outstanding sentence for which he was released early.
He also sentenced him to an additional two months in prison.
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