Rhu and Cardross homes ransacked by serial thief Dan Piteriu

Serial offender Dan Piteriu has served a number of jail sentences after being convicted of crimes in his home country, Romania, as well as Germany, Denmark and England.

He claimed that he moved to Scotland to find work but resorted to housebreaking to feed his drug addiction.

Piteriu, 35, appeared from custody at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week. He admitted breaking into four homes in one single day in May 2019.

Two were neighbouring flats in Clarence Hall Road, Rhu.

Aga Matthieson, prosecuting, said one householder was out during the day and returned at 6pm to find a glass panel in the door had been shattered and the flat "ransacked".

An antique brooch, a gold watch, five pairs of Ray-Ban sunglasses and five bottles of perfume had been stolen.

Dan Piteriu in a photo previously shared by Romanian Police listing fugitives (Image: Romanian Police)

The occupant went to check on the flat of her neighbour, who was on holiday, and found that it had been broken into as well. Jewellery and sunglasses with a total value of £1,730 were missing.

Piteriu also broke into two homes in Cardross that day.

A householder in Cardross Road arrived home at 4pm, having been out during the day, to find a door had been smashed and 200 euros and £50 stolen.

A camera and jewellery valued at nearly £1,000 were stolen after Piteriu broke into a property in Barrs Court, Cardross.

Two months later he stole jewellery from a house in Manor Road, Drumchapel.

Ms Mathieson said forensic evidence helped to catch Piteriu, though he wasn't questioned by police until January this year.

By then he was serving a five-year sentence imposed in London in August 2021.

Defence solicitor Gregor Jarrott said his client arrived in the UK five years ago.

Mr Jarrott told the court: "He came here looking for work but became addicted to drugs and that was the motivation for him carrying out these crimes.

"On his release from prison, he intends to go back to Romania where he has a six-year-old child."

Sheriff Colin Dunipace imposed a 21-month prison sentence, reduced from 28 months because of Piteriu's guilty pleas.

He said this will begin when the five-year stretch finishes.