A housebreaker was snared after cops found messages including “money, money, money” on his mobile phone linking him to raids.
Ibrahim Eroglu targeted homes in Edinburgh left empty while the owners were away on holiday.
During one break-in, the 30-year-old made off with a safe and its contents.
When police checked his phone they found a message which appeared to relate to the safe saying: “Can’t wait to bust this f****r open.”
In another message, he questioned whether Rolex watches might be kept in a home.
The phone messages help build a case against greedy Ibrahim who appeared at the city’s sheriff court on Thursday.
Fiscal depute Anna Robertson said a resident in leafy Colinton secured his home before going on holiday.
Ms Robertson said the property was raided on the same day and £200 cash was stolen.
The court heard the area was covered by CCTV and footage showed a car registered to Erglu driving away.
Ms Robertson said another address in Colinton had been left unoccupied. Eight days later a man tasked with keeping an eye on the home discovered a break-in.
Items including a wedding ring, engagement ring, various brooches and necklaces, dishes, silver cutlery and kitchenware were snatched.
The court heard a house in the upmarket Grange area was unoccupied while a family went on holiday. It was broken into and a safe was stolen along with a Range Rover parked outside. The car was later recovered.
Ms Robertson said Eroglu was investigated by police who examined his mobile. After the message about Rolexes, another read: “Money, money, money.”
The prosecutor said the victims had been targeted while they were on holiday, a “sinister” move she said that was a “great concern to the Crown” as they were not opportunistic break-ins but planned.
Eroglu pled guilty to possession of a lock-knife attached to a keyring in the city’s Gilmerton area on September 16 2019.
He further admitted breaking into the Grange home on October 22 2019 and the Colinton address where the safe was taken on October 16 2019. He admitted reset of items including jewellery and kitchenware, which had been stolen during the other Colinton break-in, between October 21 and 29 2019.
Sheriff Kenneth Campbell QC deferred sentence on Eroglu, of the city’s Moredun area, until next month for reports.
