A man stole a battering ram from firefighters as they investigated a suspected blaze in his building.
Steven Gribble, 24, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted stealing the equipment as the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended an alarm call at a block of flats in the city.
He was caught when police received a tip-off about the location of the ram and found it in Gribble’s bedroom.
As the property was recovered, Gribble told officers he was “very sorry” for stealing the gear – worth around £500.
His solicitor described it as a “stupid thing to do”.
Firefighters returned to find battering ram gone
Fiscal depute Lydia Ross told the court that at around 9.55pm on November 2 this year the fire service had received a report about an alarm sounding at a flat on Smithfield Court, Aberdeen.
“The fire service attended at the locus with a battering ram in their possession,” she said.
“They left it alone while they went up to the sixth floor and when they returned they found it was no longer there.”
A few days later, police received information about the location of the battering ram and attended at Gribble’s property.
He was questioned and admitted that the battering ram was in his bedroom and told officers he was “very sorry”.
Gribble pleaded guilty to one charge of theft.
He was also on bail at the time.
An ‘opportunistic theft’
Defence agent Alex Burn told the court that the ram was taken by police and is now back in the possession of the fire service.
“He and his friend saw it and took it to examine it in his property,” he said.
“They didn’t do anything with it – it was a stupid thing to do.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told Gribble: “This appears to have been an opportunistic theft on your behalf. You must have known what it was for.”
Sheriff Johnston fined Gribble, of Smithfield Court, Aberdeen, a total of £320.
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