A FAMILY were forced to call the police after a man appeared in their garden and stole a wall-mounted CCTV camera.

Roy Morton had previously been in a relationship with the daughter of the homeowners and the couple were said to have broken up 12 months ago.

But Morton, 34, turned up at the property at Ballencrieff Holdings, Ballencrieff, and snatched the camera from an outside wall.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that the residents spotted torch light in their garden at about 1.05am on May 5.

Morton was seen opening the back door of the home and entering the kitchen area by one occupant.

The court was told that Morton then fled the area and the surveillance camera was subsequently found wrapped in a tea towel in the back garden.

Police were called in and Morton, of Blackness Avenue, Dundee, was apprehended by officers nearby.

The court was told that in reply to being cautioned and charged, Morton said: “I did enter the house, yes, but it wasn’t my intention to steal anything.”

He appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Wednesday to plead guilty to a single charge of stealing the CCTV camera.

Not guilty pleas to two offences of stealing quantities of cash from the same address were accepted.

Solicitor Matthew Nicholson, representing Morton, said that his client had been in a relationship with the homeowner’s daughter but the couple had separated about one year ago.

Sentence was deferred to next month for the preparation of social work reports and a restriction of liberty assessment.