A callous thief stole a memorial stone dedicated to a beloved father – and then had the audacity to try to sell it on Facebook.
The man’s heartbroken daughter was left reeling after spotting Allan Strachan advertising her relative’s memorial for sale on social media.
She contacted Strachan, 59, to ask him to put it back where he found it, but the arrogant thief just told her to call the police.
She did, but Strachan struggled violently with officers when they turned up at his house and recovered the sentimental stone.
When challenged outside court about his cruel crime, Strachan refused to apologise to the man’s family for what he’d done.
Fiscal depute Andrew McMann told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the tribute had been stolen from beside a path between Aboyne Cemetery and Aboyne Castle.
The woman had last visited her father’s memorial on Father’s Day, when everything was in order.
But on January 10 this year, she was shocked to see the stone, which included a Celtic necklace and kilt pin made by a local mason, for sale on Facebook.
In the social media post, Strachan claimed he found the stone “on his travels”.
The woman commented on the post and messaged Strachan directly, explaining that it was her father’s memorial stone and asking him to put in back.
Mr McMann said: “The accused asked where to put it back and then stated that she should contact the police, which she did.”
When police attended Strachan’s address and explained why they were there, he replied: “Is that the Facebook thing?”
He then stated he would not permit the police to enter without a warrant.
Strachan tried to step back inside his home but when officers grabbed hold of him he began to resist arrest, struggling violently and pushing one officer against a wall and putting his hand on his throat.
Eventually, Strachan was brought under control and arrested and officers found the memorial stone in his living room.
Strachan, of Michael Fair Court, Old Mart Road, Aboyne, pled guilty to theft by finding and to resisting, obstructing or hindering police.
Defence agent Jenny Logan said a court-ordered social work report on her client was “fairly positive”.
She said Strachan trying to “make changes” to his life and had reduced his alcohol intake.
Ms Logan advised Strachan accepted the incident would have been “traumatic” for the family concerned he wishes he had never taken it.
Sheriff Andrew Miller told Strachan: “I can well understand why the circumstances of the theft of this memorial stone would have been distressing to the family who had placed it in that location as a memorial of their father.”
As a direct alternative to prison, the sheriff ordered Strachan to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and to be supervised for a year.
The Press and Journal approached Strachan outside court and offered him the opportunity to publicly apologise to his victims.
However, the thief refused, repeating only “no comment” as he walked away.
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