A brazen porch pirate who stole numerous packages during a months-long theft spree that only ended after residents compiled a ‘dossier’ of doorbell camera footage is facing jail.
Ronald De-St-Aubin, 61, robbed homeowners in the affluent Parsons Green, in west London, of parcels including champagne, designer clothing and wine.
He particularly targeted residents of St Maur Road, who became so frustrated by his crime wave they dubbed him ‘our thief’.
Following a series of incidents in July this year, householders passed Ring doorbell footage and stills to the Met Police which showed De-St-Aubin taking packages from outside their homes.
But the force initially said there was not enough evidence to arrest him.
De-St-Aubin, of Fulham, first became known to residents on July 17, when Charlie Evans watched him take three boxes of wine and champagne worth £500 from her doorstep through her Ring doorbell.
She had tried to reschedule the delivery as she was not at home, but DHL delivered it anyway.
She raised the alarm on a resident WhatsApp group, sharing an image of the man from the footage – and neighbours immediately responded to say they too had been victims.
Together they amassed evidence of his activities, collecting images of De-St-Aubin’s outfit and distinctive tattoos.
Ronald De-St-Aubin, 61, robbed homeowners in the affluent Parsons Green, in west London, of parcels including champagne, designer clothing and wine
De-St-Aubin admitted six offences at Isleworth Crown Court yesterday and has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing
Together residents amassed evidence of his activities, collecting images of De-St-Aubin’s outfit and distinctive tattoos
The same day as the alcohol theft, De-St-Aubin also swiped a parcel from Vinted containing an Isabel Marant designer jacket worth £60.
A few weeks later on August 10, police responded to a 999 call after he was spotted snatching another package containing a £150 ceiling light, but he was able to flee officers and escape.
Other hauls included a H&M parcel containing £196 of children’s clothes, while another on August 8 involved an Arket parcel containing £195.40, also of children’s clothes.
Then on September 5, he stole a parcel which contained cosmetics, a kitchen product and a DVD. He was arrested two days later.
Appearing at Isleworth Crown Court yesterday, De-St-Aubin initially denied six charges of theft.
But Judge Martin Edwards viewed the doorbell footage, turned to the defendant’s barrister and simply said: ‘Has he seen it?’
De-St-Aubin then said: ‘Your honour, I am changing my plea.’
He reappeared in the dock half an hour later and pleaded guilty to all six charges.
Judge Martin said: ‘I am quite sure having seen the footage in this case that your decision to plead guilty was a sensible one.
‘My principal concern is at what point you are going to stop committing offences and what the court can do to bring the date forward.’
He was remanded in custody until October 28 to allow for pre-sentencing reports to be prepared.
The court was also told he had appeared before magistrates on June 16 and been handed a community order lasting 18 months for other offences.
