Chorley joiner sentenced for burglary after trying on and stealing customer's underwear

Thursday, 27 August 2026 07:07

By Central Radio News

A joiner from Chorley who rummaged through a client’s underwear drawers has been sentenced.

Neil Wilson was working at the property in Ingol as a joiner in early July of this year when the occupants caught him on their security camera going in and out of the upstairs bedrooms, despite only being hired to do work downstairs.

Wilson began to rile through the drawers, selecting various bras and underwear, before trying them on and stopping to smell them. When he left, he took a pair of underwear with him.

At one point he found the camera, moving it out of the way so he was no longer visible.

The victims returned home where they made a report, and Wilson was arrested.

Upon arrest, Wilson told our officers “I’ve done something stupid” before taking us to see the items he had stolen – a pair of underwear in his works van.

Wilson, 46 of Troon Close, Chorley, admitted to trying on the underwear in interview, but said he didn’t mean to steal them, he got disrupted by the plumber arriving and had to get changed and answer the door, leaving them on under his clothes.

He pleaded guilty to burglary and theft from a dwelling at Preston Magistrates Court and was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay compensation and costs.

DS Ben Barnes of South Residential Burglary Team said: “Wilson entered an area of a property that he didn’t have access to, whilst alone and trusted to complete the work he was hired for. He betrayed that trust.

“I hope he now has time to reflect on his actions, and the victim feels some sense of justice now criminal proceedings have been completed.”