A motorbike thief was caught when police recovered the bike and found his DNA on the ignition wires.
Nathan Edward stole the bike on North Anderson Drive where it had been secured by its owner overnight.
But the vehicle was traced by police, despite a marker pen having been used in a bid to alter its registration plate.
And during a forensic examination, officers discovered Edward, 29, had left his DNA on the bike while hotwiring it.
Fiscal depute Rebecca Coakley told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened overnight between January 24 and 25 2022.
‘I hope they are enough to turn you off the path of offending’
She said the bike was stolen on North Anderson Drive where it had been parked by the owner.
When he returned to the spot he’d left it at 7.30am on January 25 2022 it was no longer there.
The matter was reported to police and officers later managed to trace the stolen bike outside an address on Great Northern Road.
A marker pen had been used to disguise the bike’s registration plate and damage was also noted which appeared to have been caused in the process of the theft.
The bike was forensically examined and the ignition wires were found to be “cut and twisted together”.
It was from these that Edward’s DNA was discovered, linking him to the theft.
Edward, of Moir Drive, Aberdeen, pled guilty to theft of a vehicle.
Defence agent Jenny Logan said her client had been “open and honest” with social workers and that their report was “positive”.
She went on: “His recollection is limited but he takes full responsibility for what happened.”
Ms Logan said Edward had issues with both drugs and alcohol but was taking steps to address these and “removing himself from certain negative peer groups”.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Edward: “I note there are various positives on the horizon for you and I hope they are enough to turn you off the path of offending.”
She ordered him to complete 90 hours of unpaid work.
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