A THIEF with a history of drug abuse stole deliveries full of clothes from resident’s doorsteps.

Patricia Fogarty committed “not a particularly nice crime” when she stole packages from properties on Eastwoodbury Lane on January 19.

The 35-year-old of Mansell Close, Leigh was out with a friend on the day when the packages were stolen at around 1.15pm.

Police received a call that two women had been spotted on a plot of land near the road opening up packages and trying on some of the clothes.

Police officers arrived at the scene and saw Fogarty and her friend trying to climb through a gap in the fence of the plot of land.

They noticed the addresses on the packages were for Eastwoodbury Lane and challenged the women on why they had them.

Fogarty claimed they belonged to a friend, but was arrested.

The police officers stated that Fogarty had told them her arrest was “pathetic”.

Fogarty admitted burglary after taking a pack of apple cider vinegar capsules and diet supplement food and clothing, which was in a parcel from Next. All packages were eventually returned to their owners.

At Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Carly Pharoah, mitigating, said that Fogarty disputed the comments to police officers but accepted her crimes.

Ms Pharoah said Fogarty had a history of drug usage and had recently relapsed, and suffers from mental health conditions such as PTSD and borderline personality disorder.

She said: “It was opportunistic, they saw a chance and they took a chance. It was to see if she could keep them”.

Ms Pharoah said Forgarty now regretted the offending and will tackle her drug issues.

Chair of the magistrates’ bench, Beverly Purvis, chose to give Fogarty a community order for 12 months with 40 days rehabilitation, and an £80 fine.

She said: “To find someone has gone away and just taken an item when they do not know what’s in the parcel is not a particularly nice crime.

“Lots of people are posting things home because of Covid.”