A WORCESTER man was caught red-handed stealing wallets from gym changing rooms.

Kevin Maggs, 20, stole more than £300 in the space of three weeks before he was caught in the act by Martin Burford, manager of MX Fitness, The Butts, Worcester.

Mr Burford became concerned after other gym members had their wallets, containing cash and cards, stolen and decided to try to catch the culprit using his own wallet as bait.

At Worcester Magistrates Court the bench sentencing Maggs heard how Mr Burford placed his wallet, containing £45, on a bench and hid behind a toilet door.

Marie Watton, prosecuting, said: “He stood behind the door waiting and says at about 5pm Mr Maggs came in and started to go around the room.

"As he looked down at the bench he saw the wallet, opened it and took the cash.”

Mr Burford then confronted Mr Maggs who attempted to flee the scene before being stopped and detained.

“Mr Maggs kept repeating that he was sorry.” said Miss Watton.

Maggs, of Ambleside Drive, Brickfields, had no previous convictions.

Amer Hussain, defending, said the thefts were not pre-planned.

“They were very much as Mr Burford saw,” he said.

“People had left money in sight.

“It is worth pointing out that Mr Maggs did not use the credit cards. It was purely for the cash.”

Dick Schwab, from Worcester’s Probation Service, recommend unpaid work and described Maggs as a “young man who has little contact with his parents and didn’t do particularly well at school”.

The magistrates sentenced him to a 12-month community order with 100 hours unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £306 compensation.