A MAN who stole underwear from six women in a Notts village has been jailed for three years.
Nigel Hewing, 55, targeted houses in Radcliffe-on-Trent over the course of ten years, sometimes returning to the same one more than once, before he was finally caught in June.
He would break into homes while the occupants were out and search for underwear, usually taking pillowcases from beds to use as makeshift bags for them.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday, Hewing, of Bakerdale Road, Carlton, admitted 13 counts of burglary, one of theft and one of attempted burglary.
Georgia Moore, chairman of Radcliffe-on-Trent Parish Council, said she was pleased to see justice being done.
Mrs Moore, who has lived in the village all her life, said: "It doesn't matter whether it's underwear or computers, all break-ins are very serious and it's good to see the courts recognise the pain burglary can cause.
"Radcliffe is a lovely place to live and it is usually quiet.
"Of course, we have some problems every now and then but what this man has done will have been upsetting to the victims.
"It just goes to show how important it is to report all crimes to the police because they do produce results when they piece things together."
Hewing's crimes came to light when he tried to break into the home of his most recent victim, a 45-year-old woman, on June 20.
When she returned home from work, she discovered damage to a door and the key to the porch had been taken.
She reported this to police and revealed that she had been the victim of a burglary four years earlier in which her underwear and a pillowcase were stolen.
She also explained that underwear had been stolen from her washing line just the day before.
Police traced and interviewed Hewing, who drove a silver Mercedes, and he confessed he had broken into several other houses in Radcliffe-on-Trent over the years to steal women's underwear.
Detective Constable Alan Oxley, of West Bridgford CID, said: "Initially, Hewing appeared very unassuming and came across as an average man – not sinister or threatening at all.
"But as we began to question him, the extent of his devious offending became clear.
"He began to break into houses and steal women's underwear about ten years ago and it became a sort of obsession for him.
"The impact his actions had on the victims should not be underestimated. They were left feeling frightened and violated, scared that he would return when they were at home and possibly assault them.
"Some even accused people close to them of being responsible for the theft of their underwear.
"He would monitor his victims and become familiar with their daily routine and knew when they were not home and so he could carry out his criminal deeds without being disturbed. He broke into one woman's house on five occasions over five years."
