Gym locker thief jailed for two years

Jailed . . . locker thief Jeanette Fidler

£16,000 of property stolen in a seven-month spree
AN Oldham woman who embarked on a thieving spree raiding gym lockers throughout the North-West sobbed in the dock as she was jailed for two years.

Preston Crown Court was told that between August last year and February this year, mum-of-two Jeanette Fidler (38) stole more than £16,000 worth of property.

She had caused emotional and financial distress to 65 victims over a seven-month period.

Gym users returned to the locker room to find their property had been taken — including one woman who had her engagement and wedding rings taken.

Fidler also used credit cards she had taken to buy high-value items from retail parks and withdrew money.

The gym owners were also out of pocket after having to fork out thousands of pounds for damage caused to the lockers, which in many cases had been prised open.

Fidler, of Titchfield Road, told police she had turned to crime to pay off a long-standing drug debt.

She appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to a total of 42 offences which included theft, fraud and one of handling stolen goods. She also asked for 23 similar offences to be taken into consideration. The total amount involved in the offences was £16,059.

Miss Sarah Booth, prosecuting, told the court the offences took place at gyms all over the region — in Tameside, Rochdale, Heywood, Runcorn, Chorley, Blackpool, Bolton, Preston, Trafford and Ellesmere.

Fidler took a variety of property including mobile telephones, money, driving licenses, credit cards, jewellery, sunglasses, hair straighteners, handbags, purses, ipods, car and house keys.

She told the court in one case a watch with an insurance value of £2,075 was taken.

Fidler had 130 previous offences on her record.

Mr David Ryan, defending, said there had been a degree of planning, with high value and often items with sentimental value taken.

Fidler was now free from illegal drugs and was on methadone and wanted the support of the probation service.

He addded that when challenged in gyms and leisure clubs she had not threatened force and in some cases property was recovered.

Fidler had started using heroin and as a result lost her senior position as a recruitment manager, home and lifestyle she had been accustomed to.

Fidler moved from Huddersfield to Oldham and by chance met a drugs dealer who assaulted her and made her steal from a gym in Leeds. The offences were committed in relation to an existing drugs debt.

“She wishes to apologise for her actions and is deeply ashamed and embarrassed about what she has done,” said Mr Ryan.

Judge Simon Newell told Fidler she had caused considerable loss and inconvenience and emotional distress to her victims.

“There has been a persistent course of conduct carried out in a sophisticated and professional way,” he told Fidler.