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A tiny island where people routinely leave their homes unlocked has had its first burglary in living memory.
A visiting workman stole £60 from the home of an old soldier, in the first crime of any kind committed on Colonsay since 2004.
The Hebridean isle has a population of 125 and is seen by the residents as one of the safest communities in Britain.
One islander said yesterday: "Cars are always left with the keys in them, and some house locks have rusted up through lack of use.
"But this was awful because the theft was on Wednesday and the next ferry to the mainland was not till the Friday, so this man was left to live among us for nearly three days. The island's special constable, Don McLeod, had the thief removed on the Friday boat, which was met by full-time police in Oban."
The culprit, James Harvey, 38, from Govan, Glasgow, stole the money from "Wee" Davie Sutherland, a 75-year-old who raises thousands of pounds each year for the British Legion by running ceilidhs and other events.
Harvey admitted the theft and was fined £400 and ordered to pay compensation to his victim at a hearing in Oban sheriff court.
Mr Sutherland said: "I suppose it was only £60 but it just doesn't happen here. I don't even have a lock on my house, so that tells you what you need to know about the island."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...FOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2006/11/10/nthief10.xml
maximus otter
A visiting workman stole £60 from the home of an old soldier, in the first crime of any kind committed on Colonsay since 2004.
The Hebridean isle has a population of 125 and is seen by the residents as one of the safest communities in Britain.
One islander said yesterday: "Cars are always left with the keys in them, and some house locks have rusted up through lack of use.
"But this was awful because the theft was on Wednesday and the next ferry to the mainland was not till the Friday, so this man was left to live among us for nearly three days. The island's special constable, Don McLeod, had the thief removed on the Friday boat, which was met by full-time police in Oban."
The culprit, James Harvey, 38, from Govan, Glasgow, stole the money from "Wee" Davie Sutherland, a 75-year-old who raises thousands of pounds each year for the British Legion by running ceilidhs and other events.
Harvey admitted the theft and was fined £400 and ordered to pay compensation to his victim at a hearing in Oban sheriff court.
Mr Sutherland said: "I suppose it was only £60 but it just doesn't happen here. I don't even have a lock on my house, so that tells you what you need to know about the island."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai...FOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2006/11/10/nthief10.xml
maximus otter
