Leeds Railway Station lost-property decoy burglar who helped take iPhones and jewellery is jailed
A woman distracted staff at Leeds Railway Station while a man crawled into the lost property area.
Julie Williams was jailed after admitting a charge of burglary.
Leeds Crown Court heard that on April 15, shortly before 10pm, she went to the office in the station and engaged the worker behind the counter, asking about the price of storage.
But as she did so, a man crawled on the floor to enter the office and was not seen by the staff member. He emptied a box that was used for storing found jewellery, wallets and phones, before crawling back out again unnoticed.
The pair then left and were seen leaving the station together towards Boar Lane.
The value of the items in the box were not known, although it was thought there were a number of iPhones and wallets.
But 52-year-old Williams returned to the station in the early hours of the next morning and asked British Transport Police officers for a blanket because she was cold.
They recognised her and arrested her. She later gave a no-comment interview.
She later failed to attend court so a warrant was put out for her arrest.
Homeless Williams appeared in court this week via a video link from HMP New Hall, where she was being held on remand. Along with the burglary, she admitted a charge of failing to answer to bail.
She has 57 previous convictions for 186 offences, many being for theft.
Mitigating, Daisy Wrigley said Williams did not wish to be released from prison, because she has nowhere to go and fears she would quickly resort to drug taking again.
Judge Neil Clark jailed her for 29 weeks in total.