A SERIAL thief who broke into his neighbour’s flat was caught after she spotted him in her distinctive paint-stained jogging bottoms.

Edward Johnstone, 55, stole clothing from Jacqueline Johnston’s home in Glasgow’s Tollcross on July 19, 2019.

Miss Johnston found glasses, a mirror and a T-shirt when she returned home to her ransacked flat.

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She later confronted Johnstone - who was wandering the street in her missing jogging bottoms - after recognising the distinctive glasses belonged to him.

Johnstone pleaded guilty on Monday at Glasgow Sheriff Court to two separate charges of theft by housebreaking.

The court heard Miss Johnston locked her door before leaving to go to stay with family for a few days.

Her neighbour heard banging from the property an hour later and found Johnstone trying to gain access to Miss Johnston’s flat.

She warned him that she would phone the police.

Miss Johnston returned home five days later to see that her house had been broken into.

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Prosecutor John Bedford said: “There were foreign items left at the property including a set of spectacles, a t-shirt and a mirror.

“Miss Johnston immediately recognised these glassing having previously been worn by Johnston.

“They were both aware of each other as she knew he was the man from across the street.

“A few days later, she saw him walking in the street and he was wearing her grey jogging bottoms.

“She immediately recognised this item as belonging to her as they had been stolen from her flat a few days earlier.

“She recognised them as there is an obvious distinctive paint and stain mark on the jogging bottoms.”

The court heard Johnstone went on to steal CDs, a box of photographs and a TV remote from another neighbour the day after he broke into Miss Johnston’s flat.

Johnstone was snared after he returned to the flat and was asked why he was there by the homeowner.

He replied: “Sorry, sorry, sorry.”

A 999 call was made and Johnston was arrested.

Mr Bedford added: “When searching him, the remote control was recovered from his right jacket pocket.

“The homeowner identified that it was the same brand as her TV.”

The box of photos and the CDs were also found at Johnstone’s home.

Sentence was deferred until next month for background reports by Sheriff Sean Murphy QC.

Johnstone, now of the city’s Trongate, was granted bail meantime.