Three people have been cleared over a £9,500 robbery at an Aberdeen hardware store.
Sean Craig, 29, Stephanie Heron, 27, and Ian Low or Cowie, 31, were found not guilty over the matter after their trial was cut short.
It had only begun on Monday afternoon, but an issue over identification came to light as a witness gave evidence and the Crown said it was no longer seeking proceedings against the trio.
Sheriff William Summers found them not guilty of the allegations.
They had been accused of stealing £9,505.01 and assaulting two employees during a raid on Screwfix on Girdleness Road on February 20.
An issue arose during the evidence of Nathan Shaw, who was duty manager at the store on the night.
It had been understood by the Crown he had identified one of the accused from a number of pictures shown to him by police.
During questioning by fiscal depute Colin Neilson, he told the court he had been shown 36 images of people by police and had picked out three who may have been responsible for the robbery.
The depute asked for an adjournment while further inquiries were made and when the trial resumed he said: “The Crown takes no further proceedings against any of the three accused in relation to charges one, two and three.”
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A Crown Office spokesman said: “It is the duty of the Crown to keep cases under review and after careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, the Procurator Fiscal decided that there should be no further proceedings taken at this time.”
Mr Craig is believed to be considering civil action against the police.
His solicitor Paul Barnett said: “Mr Craig was remanded for the best part of five months, on what were fairly questionable police statements, having heard the evidence of Mr Shaw.”
Following the acquittal of Mr Craig and Ms Heron, both of Auldearn Place, Aberdeen, and Mr Cowie, of Balnagask Road, Aberdeen, Sheriff Summers addressed the jury.
He said: “I had no idea when I came in this morning this was going to unfold the way it has done.”
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