Police officer stole Apple Watch while searching missing man's car

A police officer who stole a missing person’s Apple Watch during an inquiry was caught after colleagues tracked the device’s GPS.

Leonidas Deliroglou, 30, took the device from the man’s car in Glasgow’s Battlefield on May 28, 2024.

Deliroglou lied to fellow officers that he returned the watch to the vehicle after efforts were made to get information from it.

Instead, the former soldier kept it as he travelled to a number of police stations and Barlinnie prison.

Deliroglou was caught after the watch was noted to be missing during a further examination of the car.

This led to a police investigation, which tied Deliroglou’s whereabouts to the watch’s journeys on its GPS.

Deliroglou was suspended on full pay from 2024 and pleaded guilty to theft last month at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

However, it emerged that Deliroglou – who had three years’ experience – only resigned from Police Scotland on January 14, 2026.

Sheriff Allan Mckay ordered Deliroglou to do 220 hours of unpaid work at sentencing.

He was also tagged for six months, keeping him indoors between 8pm and 7am, as well as put under supervision for one year.

The sheriff said: “You are a despicable human being – what you did in my experience is one of the worst things I have seen from a serving police officer, and I have seen a lot of things.

“You were asked to assist in the search for a missing person and took a watch belonging to that person for your own use, which was an essential piece of evidence which could have assisted you in finding this man, who was going through mental health pressures.

“To do that is bad enough, but you pretended that you hadn’t done it and maintained that for a length of time which leads me to believe that you are a reprehensible individual.

“I would be sending you to prison for a period of time, and I would have been justified in doing that, but I am required to consider an alternative to custody.”

The court earlier heard that the 44-year-old man was reported missing on May 27, 2024.

As part of the inquiries, his locked vehicle was searched by Deliroglou and a colleague.

The Apple Watch was found in the centre console of the vehicle, which was handed to Deliroglou to get it to function.

Prosecutor Jason Black said: “It was suggested that the device be seized as it may contain information on the missing person.

“Deliroglou stated that the device could not work, and he returned it to the glove compartment in the vehicle.”

He later gave a list of items of interest to his supervisor, which did not include the Apple Watch.

The car was later seized by 911 recovery, where a further search of the vehicle was unable to find the Apple Watch.

A cybercrime investigation tracked the GPS information from the watch.

Mr Black said: “This ultimately pinpointed to the locations Deliroglou had followed.”

It was stated that this included “several police stations” as well as Barlinnie prison between May 28 and May 29.

A search of Delirgolou’s home took place, but the watch was not recovered.

However, a charger compatible with the watch, purchased after the date of the theft, was found.

Deliroglou was arrested and later gave a “no comment” interview to colleagues and was suspended from duty.

When told that Deliroglou resigned when he did, Sheriff Mckay replied: “That’s utterly despicable – he knows he was guilty and took his wage until yesterday.”

His lawyer, Michael McKitrick, told the sentencing: “He doesn’t seek to minimise responsibility. He apologises and very much regrets his actions. It is totally out of character.

“This was an isolated incident, and it was an unplanned moment of madness. He was dealing with a lot of issues at the time.”