A SERIAL thief who broke into two homes and made off with vehicles and goods worth tens of thousands of pounds has been remanded in custody while he awaits sentencing.

Logan Wales also led police on a dangerous road chase through the streets of Edinburgh after he had been spotted behind the wheel of one of the stolen vehicles in April last year.

Wales, 18, first broke into a property on Craiglockhart Drive South in Edinburgh and grabbed two sets of car keys and a quantity of watches.

He then got into the homeowner’s Mercedes parked in their driveway and made off from the scene.

He was subsequently spotted driving the stolen car at about 12.15am on April 16 last year.

Police officers gave chase on the Capital’s Morrison Street after Wales sped off and he was seen reaching speeds of up to 70mph and going through red traffic light signals.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that Wales, of Affleck Rise, Wallyford, “continued to drive for a prolonged period” with police giving chase.

He was eventually caught and arrested when he lost control of the vehicle, crashed into a parked car and ended up on the pavement. A search of the vehicle was conducted by officers and the keys and the watches taken from the home were recovered.

Second break-in

Wales then broke into a second property along with an unknown accomplice at Station Road in Armadale, West Lothian, on May 16 last year.

This time, the teenager stole goods including watches, clothing and a holdall, all said to be worth about £37,700, and again made off in the homeowner’s vehicle.

The car was eventually spotted parked outside an Edinburgh college the following day and Wales was subsequently apprehended by police.

The court was told that there was no recovery of any of the high-value items taken in the second incident.

Wales appeared in the dock at the Capital court last Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty to six offences, including breaking into the two homes and two offences of stealing vehicles.

He also admitted to one charge of driving dangerously and one of driving with no insurance.

Solicitor David Storrie, representing Wales, said that his client had been employed throughout his period on bail and that he “appreciates the serious position he is in”.

Sheriff Wendy Sheehan acknowledged that Wales had previous convictions for “directly analogous matters”, as well as offences of reset and careless driving.

The sheriff said: “I find it almost impossible to envisage any alternative to a custodial sentence given the seriousness of these charges.”

Wales was handed an interim driving ban and was remanded in custody.

Sentence was deferred to later this month for social work reports to be compiled and for a restriction of liberty order assessment.