A thug who brandished an angle grinder at police was jailed today for 15 months.

Florin Turtulea, 26, was apparently in a state of "panic" having broken into a shop in Glasgow's Trongate on October 17 2022.

Turtulea had made off with a black bag containing 249 packets of cigarettes and a quantity of cash.

READ MORE: Man, 24, arrested after cops 'find weapon and illegal substances'

He was tailed by officers who were then faced with the high-powered angle grinder held by Turtulea.

He pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to breaking into the newsagents.

Turtulea also admitted having the angle grinder without a reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

The court heard that an anonymous call was made to police in the early hours of the morning that a man was seen leaving the shop through a broken door.

CCTV operators tracked Turtulea with a large black bag.

Officers later followed him but initially lost sight during the pursuit.

Prosecutor Hannah Sweeney said: "When Turtulea came in their sight again, he was stood in an aggressive forward-facing stance.

"He had two hands stretched out and he was brandishing a battery powered angle grinder with the blade spinning at speed.

"He was holding it in the direction of the officers and he had two hands on it while in full operation."

Turtulea dropped the weapon following demands from the officers who pulled out a taser.

He was arrested and found to be in possession of money bags with varying types of cash.

READ MORE: Police increase road patrols in one Greater Glasgow area

Officers later returned to where Turtulea was spotted with the black bag which was also recovered.

This contained 249 cigarette packets as well as a locked box with varying types of money.

The shop was also noted to be in a state of disarray.

Paul Sutherland, defending, told the court: "You might see that he had some purpose for the angle grinder from the first charge.

"It was out of sheer panic which is the best way to describe it."

Sheriff Iain Fleming told Turtulea when jailing him that there was no alternative to a custodial sentence as he has a previous conviction for housebreaking.