Jail for part in gang theft

Nov 11 2008 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A FORMER Perth man linked to the theft of almost £40,000 worth of machinery was jailed for 20 months.

Perth Sheriff Court heard that although he was awaiting trial for fraud, he helped a gang steal tens of thousands of pounds worth of equipment.

Although Sheriff Lindsay Foulis acknowledged that Kevin Harrison (24), formerly of Primrose Crescent, may only have been “a cog in the machine”, prison was the only appropriate sentence.

The Sheriff said Harrison, now of Dalgowan, Dalginross, Comrie, had been “party to the misappropriation” of equipment worth between £38,000 and £39,000 over a five-month period earlier this year.

The court was told he stole a mechanical digger, attachments and a trailer, from Intercity Motor Auctions, in Perth’s Crieff Road, between April 18 and 22.

He had initially hired the machine, worth £23,000, but it was removed by other people to be sold on.

The digger was subsequently recovered and returned to the owners.

He then went on to “hire” other equipment from Speed Hire (Scotland) Ltd. at their branches in Feus Road, Perth, and Dundee on April 14 and 15.

These items, valued at £3,600, £1100 and £2,500, later disappeared.

Police arrested Harrison, but he arranged to hire another digger.

It was subsequently left outside his house – and also went missing.

Harrison pled guilty to attempting to steal the digger, while acting along with others, at Dalgowan between September 15 and 27.

Solicitor Marker Alder insisted his client hadn’t been the “driving force” behind the crimes.

Mr Alder added: “A recurring theme in this case is the involvement of two other gentlemen who have rather extensive previous convictions for this kind of offence.”