A MAN who raided lockers at a Stourbridge gym after using false details to gain access has been locked up for 29 months.

Nicky Lawrence got away with mobile telephones, cash, car keys, house keys and wallets after getting into the Pure Gym premises, said Gerry Bermingham, prosecuting.

He said the 27-year-old, who blamed money troubles for his actions, also got into other Pure Gym branches in Smethwick, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton where he also forced open lockers.

Recorder Abigail Nixon said: “You clearly planned what you were going to do and you used false details to get into these changing rooms.

“Many people have financial problems and they struggle to find work but they do not behave in this way.

“What you did caused a considerable amount of inconvenience to your victims - just to satisfy your need for money,” she told Lawrence, an unemployed father of one.

The recorder added: “I am sure you had no regard whatsoever for these people. You went on time and time again to steal.”

She said Lawrence had used car keys to drive away three vehicles and two had not been recovered while “fortunately” a number of his victims had been able to get back some of their stolen property.

“This was a sophisticated series of offences,” she concluded. “It involves at least £10,000 worth of property and you took it as you moved from gym to gym.”

Lawrence, of Chipston Road, Alum Rock, Birmingham, admitted five charges of theft from the Stourbridge gym and ten other charges relating to thefts from the other three gyms.

Philip Brunt, defending, told Wolverhampton Crown Court it had been a case of “pot luck” because he had not known what was inside any of the 15 lockers he raided.

“He made a number of wrong choices to improve his situation,” said Mr Brunt. “He accepts his offending must have been nasty and unpleasant for his victims.”

Mr Bermingham told the court Lawrence was arrested as he drove one of the stolen cars in the area and he had in his possession a black bag containing property stolen from the gymnasiums.