SCOTLAND THIEVES CAUGHT BUT NOT CHARGED AFTER COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM BRITISH PETROLEUM this is north scotland - news, entertainment, jobs, homes and carsOIL GIANT BP IN DROPPED THEFT CHARGES PUZZLE

ALISON SHAW

16:00 - 29 May 2004

There is to be no prosecution over alleged computer theft at an oil giant - despite two men previously admitting charges.

Four men were originally charged with stealing items from BP's Dyce HQ.

Two of the men had admitted the crime and were awaiting sentence when they were allowed to change their pleas to not guilty.

The two other men had always denied the charge and had been due to go on trial this week.

However, prosecutors have accepted three of the men's not guilty pleas and deserted proceedings against another.

The men were all contractors for BP and worked for US-based IT services firm EDS.

A spokeswoman for BP said: "We asked the police to investigate the loss of a number of pieces of computer equipment and a TV receiver and they apprehended the four men.

The reasons for the cases being dropped are unknown to us."

The missing property was retrieved.

It is understood there had been an amnesty but it is not known when the items were returned.

Andrew Lynn, 34, of Muirton Cottage, Whitecairns, pleaded guilty in January to stealing a television set, a palm computer and a desktop computer from the BP premises.

He had had sentence deferred several times and at one point was said to be living in Edinburgh.

Christopher Dodd, 27, of 1 West Glendale Mews, Aberdeen had earlier pleaded guilty by letter to stealing a laptop computer.

His sentence was deferred until February 5 when he was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea. This was substituted with a not guilty plea which was accepted by the Crown

Kenneth Keir, 41, 110 Osborne Place, Aberdeen stuck to his not guilty plea to stealing a laptop.

John Fox, 33, 40 Binghill Crescent, Milltimber also maintained his denial.

He had been accused of stealing 10 laptops, one desktop computer, a flatscreen monitor, a personal computer and CD Rom.

Their trial was due to be heard on February 10 but was postponed.

Lynn had sentence deferred again until the case called again on May 6.

Keir and Fox also had their cases continued until that date and trial was fixed for May 24.

But on May 6, at a pre-trial hearing, Lynn was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea.

His not guilty plea was then accepted.

The case against Keir was deserted that day and Fox's not guilty plea was also accepted.