A DOORSTEP parcel thief has been punished by magistrates with a curfew.
Nathan Smith, of Conway, Worcester, who has previously been jailed for taking parcels, admitted two charges of theft at a dwelling when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court.
Remus Mihailescu, prosecuting, said victim Matthew Kitchen had a notification on April 26 this year that a parcel had been delivered to his Worcester home by the Royal Mail.
The prosecutor said the parcel contained a Shein bag worth £35 and had been ordered by his wife.
Mr Milhailescu said the victim also received a message from his Ring doorbell that there has been motion outside his home.
"He (the victim) returned to the property before midnight and found the porch door was open, and the parcel was missing from the porch," the prosecutor said.
The court heard Smith committed another parcel theft just nine days later, when he stole a parcel from another Worcester home.
The prosecutor said the parcel was left at the home of Stephanie Busby, who received a notification from Amazon to say it had been delivered.
But on returning to her home the victim found the parcel, containing a book and phone holder worth £31.30, was not there.
Mr Milhailescu said CCTV footage had helped police identify Smith as the culprit in both offences.
The prosecutor added the 34-year-old had 32 thefts on his record.
Gerry Vahey, defending, said Smith committed the thefts when he was using drugs - but in the months since Smith's addiction had stabilised as he was now on a methadone prescription.
Mr Vahey said he recognised giving his client a conditional discharge would be too light, and sending him to prison too harsh, suggesting a curfew would be the best solution.
Susan Kitchener, chairman of the bench, told Smith they were going to give him a community order, which included a six-week curfew and the requirement to complete 15 rehabilitation activity days.
The chairman said the curfew meant Smith had to be at his home address every night between the hours of 8pm and 8am.
Smith was also told to pay £185 costs, £66.19 compensation to the victims, and a victim surcharge of £95.
Nathan Smith had previously been jailed for thefts, burglary and handling stolen goods
Magistrates agreed the total, £346.19, could be deducted from Smith's benefits.
The case was heard on Thursday, (August 11).
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We reported on Smith in 2017 when was jailed for 52 weeks for thefts, burglary, handling stolen goods and vehicle interference. In that case Smith stole unattended bicycles or parcels left on doorsteps by delivery drivers.