Edinburgh man's DNA found in property after Audis and Rolex watches pinched in raid
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Cars and watches worth £250,000 were stolen from a house by an Edinburgh man while the owners were out walking their dog.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard the householders were away for only 20 minutes, but that was enough time for the thieves to strike.
Leon Barnes, 23, admitted being involved in the break-in and theft at Glengoyne Court, East Kilbride, on November 6, 2022. He was caught after his DNA was found inside the property.
Neil Thomson, prosecuting, said the householders left around 6.15pm to walk their dog, locking the doors as they did so, reports Lanarkshire Live.
He told the court: "When they returned 20 minutes later they noticed the front door was ajar. There were muddy footprints in the hallway and on the stairs.
"Two Audi cars, each worth approximately £50,000, were missing along with the car keys and a quantity of valuable watches, some of which were Rolex.
"The cars were recovered in Edinburgh but the watches, which are worth around £150,000, have never been found."
Mr Thomson said entry to the house was gained by smashing a rear window. That area was swabbed by scenes of crime officers and Barnes's DNA was found.
Barnes, of Drumbrae Drive, Edinburgh, admitted previous convictions. Defence lawyer Mark Hutchison said he was "in the grip of bad company" at the time of this crime.
Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Mr Hutchison added: "He has since managed to turn his life around. He got himself off drugs and obtained full-time employment as a scaffolder."
Sheriff Mungo Bovey deferred sentence until next month for background reports and an electronic tagging assessment.
The sheriff said: "I'm concerned at what seems to the the organised nature of this. You don't steal two cars on your own. The householders were absent for a very short time and that suggests a degree of planning or observation."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
STV News
4 hours ago
- STV News
Man charged over spate of break-ins after dozens of vehicles stolen
A man has been charged in connection with dozens of vehicle thefts and break-ins in Aberdeen. Police say two men – a 35-year-old and a 51-year-old – were charged in connection with the theft of an Audi from North Anderson Drive around 6.30am on Monday. The car was later recovered in the Hilton area of the city. Officers say after further enquiries, the 35-year-old was also charged in connection with 15 previous reports of vehicle theft and break-ins. The incidents occurred in the Hilton, Sheddocksley and Northfield areas between April and June 2025. The men are both expected to appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Tuesday. Detective Constable Fergus Anderson said: 'We'd like to thank the public for their assistance with our enquiries and would encourage anyone with concerns or information about suspicious activity in their area to contact police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Edinburgh Live
6 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh man's DNA found in property after Audis and Rolex watches pinched in raid
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Cars and watches worth £250,000 were stolen from a house by an Edinburgh man while the owners were out walking their dog. Hamilton Sheriff Court heard the householders were away for only 20 minutes, but that was enough time for the thieves to strike. Leon Barnes, 23, admitted being involved in the break-in and theft at Glengoyne Court, East Kilbride, on November 6, 2022. He was caught after his DNA was found inside the property. Neil Thomson, prosecuting, said the householders left around 6.15pm to walk their dog, locking the doors as they did so, reports Lanarkshire Live. He told the court: "When they returned 20 minutes later they noticed the front door was ajar. There were muddy footprints in the hallway and on the stairs. "Two Audi cars, each worth approximately £50,000, were missing along with the car keys and a quantity of valuable watches, some of which were Rolex. "The cars were recovered in Edinburgh but the watches, which are worth around £150,000, have never been found." Mr Thomson said entry to the house was gained by smashing a rear window. That area was swabbed by scenes of crime officers and Barnes's DNA was found. Barnes, of Drumbrae Drive, Edinburgh, admitted previous convictions. Defence lawyer Mark Hutchison said he was "in the grip of bad company" at the time of this crime. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Mr Hutchison added: "He has since managed to turn his life around. He got himself off drugs and obtained full-time employment as a scaffolder." Sheriff Mungo Bovey deferred sentence until next month for background reports and an electronic tagging assessment. The sheriff said: "I'm concerned at what seems to the the organised nature of this. You don't steal two cars on your own. The householders were absent for a very short time and that suggests a degree of planning or observation."
Daily Record
7 hours ago
- Daily Record
£250k break-in as East Kilbride homeowners walked dog
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard the householders were away for only 20 minutes, but that was enough time for the thieves to strike. Cars and watches worth £250,000 were stolen from a house in East Kilbride while the owners were out walking their dog. Hamilton Sheriff Court heard the householders were away for only 20 minutes, but that was enough time for the thieves to strike. Leon Barnes, 23, admitted being involved in the break-in and theft at Glengoyne Court on November 6, 2022. He was caught after his DNA was found inside the property. Neil Thomson, prosecuting, said the householders left around 6.15pm to walk their dog, locking the doors as they did so. He told the court: "When they returned 20 minutes later they noticed the front door was ajar. There were muddy footprints in the hallway and on the stairs. "Two Audi cars, each worth approximately £50,000, were missing along with the car keys and a quantity of valuable watches, some of which were Rolex. "The cars were recovered in Edinburgh but the watches, which are worth around £150,000, have never been found." Mr Thomson said entry to the house was gained by smashing a rear window. That area was swabbed by scenes of crime officers and Barnes's DNA was found. Barnes, of Drumbrae Drive, Edinburgh, admitted previous convictions. Defence lawyer Mark Hutchison said he was "in the grip of bad company" at the time of this crime. Mr Hutchison added: "He has since managed to turn his life around. He got himself off drugs and obtained full-time employment as a scaffolder." Sheriff Mungo Bovey deferred sentence until next month for background reports and an electronic tagging assessment. The sheriff said: "I'm concerned at what seems to the the organised nature of this. You don't steal two cars on your own. "The householders were absent for a very short time and that suggests a degree of planning or observation." *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. Article continues below
