A so-called porch pirate who was caught stealing 16 parcels from his neighbours worth £500 has been spared jail.
Thomas Faithful, 31, took the packages that were left out in the open by delivery drivers at the apartment building in Boscombe in Bournemouth.
Some of the unwrapped items included a table, a phone, a new pair of shoes, clothes and even a bottle of washing-up liquid – as well as a work uniform.
Faithful has now been sentenced but avoided being put behind bars, while a court heard how he had now found a new home following his crimes.
His probation officer told magistrates that he feels ’embarrassed with an extraordinary sense of shame’ for his actions.
Faithful said he would like to apologise to his neighbours in person and that he has found a new house to move into.
The thefts occurred at San Remo Towers, a Grade II-listed block of 183 flats close to the seafront at Boscombe in Dorset.
Faithful had only recently moved into the building when he started stealing last August.
Thomas Faithful, 31, has been sentenced after stealing neighbours’ packages that were left out in the open by delivery drivers at his apartment building in Boscombe in Bournemouth
The thefts occurred at San Remo Towers (pictured), a Grade II-listed block of 183 flats
Some of the unwrapped items nabbed from the porch included a table, a phone, a new pair of shoes, clothes and even a bottle of washing-up liquid – as well as a work uniform
All the parcels were dropped off in a communal reception area and Faithful would help himself to them on his way in or out of his property.
One package contained a young neighbour’s new work uniform, which meant the victim had to start a new apprenticeship role in his own clothes.
Residents grew frustrated at receiving photos of their parcels having been dropped off by a delivery driver, only to find they were no longer there.
They complained to the building manager, who reviewed CCTV footage and identified Faithful who was found to have nabbed more than £500 worth of neighbours’ belongings.
He was arrested and charged with theft, to which he has pleaded guilty.
Nicola Rees, prosecuting, said: ‘Residents had been reporting to staff that their items had been going missing from the block of flats.
‘CCTV showed a male taking items that did not belong to him and this was sent to the police.
‘An officer searched Mr Faithful’s flat and found the reported parcels and several others. All the parcels have been or will be returned to the residents.’
So-called ‘porch pirate’ Thomas Faithful spent four months stealing neighbours’ parcels
He took the packages left out in the open by delivery drivers at the Dorset block of flats
Thomas Faithful’s probation officer told Poole magistrates that the defendant (pictured outside court) feels ’embarrassed with an extraordinary sense of shame’ for his actions
Faithful told magistrates in Poole that he was struggling with cocaine use at the time and had little memory of the thefts.
Defending himself, he said: ‘I am trying everything in my power to change my life. My boss is very understanding and I am moving out of the block of flats into a house in West Parley that he owns.
Magistrates sentenced him to a community order and ordered him to wear an electronic tag for 90 days, while he was also ordered to pay £189 in fines and costs.
Presiding magistrate Fiona McKenna told him: ‘We are pleased to see that you are already starting to take responsibility.
‘You have held your hands up and obviously that is what we want to hear as it is clear that you want to change your life.’
