A WALLYFORD teenager who broke into two homes and stole the homeowners’ vehicles and goods worth tens of thousands of pounds has avoided a custodial sentence.

Logan Wales was also involved in a dangerous police pursuit through the streets of Edinburgh in one of the stolen cars before he lost control of the vehicle and crashed in April last year.

Wales appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this month and, after pleading guilty to six charges, was told by a sheriff that she found it “almost impossible to envisage any alternative to a custodial sentence given the seriousness of these charges”.

He was remanded in custody pending sentence on Monday.

READ MORE: Thief Logan Wales led police on high-speed car chase through city

But when the 18-year-old appeared back in the dock from custody, Sheriff Wendy Sheehan said that she was imposing an “intensive disposal” that involved supervision and a restriction of liberty order.

Wales, of Affleck Rise, was placed under supervision for 18 months and told he must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.

He will also be electronically tagged and must stay within his home address between the hours of 7pm and 6am for the next six months.

Sheriff Sheehan also banned Wales from driving for two years and fined him £320 after telling him he had “narrowly avoided a custodial sentence”.

Crashed into car

Previously, the court was told that the teenage thief broke into a home on the Capital’s Craiglockhart Drive South and stole car keys and watches from the property.

He then stole the owner’s Mercedes and was seen driving the vehicle by police officers at about 12.15am on April 16 last year.

The officers gave chase at the Capital’s Morrison Street after Wales sped off and he was clocked reaching speeds of up to 70mph and travelling through red traffic light signals during the chase.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Wales “continued to drive for a prolonged period” with police following behind and was eventually caught when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a parked car, ending up on the pavement.

A search of the vehicle was carried out and the keys and the watches taken from the home were recovered.

Second theft

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

The teenager made off with items including watches, clothing and a holdall, all said to be worth about £37,700, and again drove 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 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, all in April and May last year.