Thief visited Moray to try pay off gambling debts
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A Romanian came to the North-east and the Highlands on a shoplifting spree to help pay off his gambling debts.
Somuel Dumitru stole thousands of pounds of high-value goods – but claimed to have been only able to sell them on for a fraction of their true value.
The 25-year-old appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court earlier today.
He admitted carrying out five thefts from stores in Elgin, Inverurie, Dingwall, Inverness and Dundee over the course of two days in November 2019.
Talking about the stolen items, fiscal depute David Morton said: "Most were branded Apple products.
"Two of the four watches were worth a total of £1000 and one of the two mobile phones also £1000."
Mr Morton added that none of the stolen items had been recovered.
Defence solicitor Stephen Carty said: "He had a gambling addiction and owed a considerable amount of money.
"The goods were sold for about 10 percent of their actual value."
Sentence had earlier been deferred for social workers to compile a report into the defendant's background.
This report recommended a community payback order rather than a term behind bars.
Speaking to Dumitru, Sheriff Gary Aitken said: "You are very close to prison today."
However, as an alternative, the defendant was placed under the supervision of social workers for the next two years.
Dumitru, of Ellesmere Road, Newcastle, was also ordered to carry out 210 hours of unpaid work for the community.
