A NOCTURNAL underwear thief has admitted stealing items of women’s clothing from a washing line.

Luke Wicker, of Whitby Close, Biggin Hill, today pleaded guilty at Bromley Magistrates’ Court to four counts of theft on four different occasions from June 1 to 11, although the court heard items had gone missing over a much longer period.

The court was told Wicker, aged 20, stole the clothes from the back garden at a house in Melody Road, Biggin Hill, by jumping over the fence during the early hours of the morning when he was on his way back from work.

Wicker, a chef, was seen removing the clothes from the washing line and stuffing them down his pants before jumping back over the fence into an alleyway.

The complainant, who has two small children, had to resort to putting up CCTV and floodlighting to catch him.

When police arrested Wicker they searched his address and found 65 items of clothing hidden down the side of his bed.

The court heard some of the items had been cut up, which Wicker claimed was so the owner was unable to use them again.

Prosecutor Anne Murgai said: “The complainant saw him approach the clothes line and select items of female underwear, and put them down the pants of his jogging bottoms.

“The male then jumped over the wall and made off.

“The complainant’s husband and friend both gave chase as this had happened several times before.

“The victim had stated some of the items had been taken a very long time ago, a lot longer than just a few days.

“The defendant changed his story and said he had been round the house a lot more than just the three months he initially said.

“He could only remember going seven or eight times.”

When asked why he only chose women’s underwear he said it was a “prank” and he was “just having a laugh”.

The complainant identified all the clothing, including a black bikini which had gone missing six weeks ago, and some of her daughter’s clothing which had been missing for a year.

An impact statement read out on behalf of the complainant said: “The whole incident has disturbed me. I feel intimidated and vulnerable in my own home. I have two small children and have been very anxious.”

Her daughter had even stopped doing her local paper round as a result.

In mitigation, Richard Scotter said: “The defendant said he didn’t have a grudge against this lady.

“There’s no evidence he specifically targeted this lady in the sense that he had an obsession with her.

“As a young man he did a paper round and may have known her from that context.

“He denies there was any sexual motive involved.”

Sentencing has been adjourned until July 9 for a pre-sentence report.