Mum, Bernadette Gaitens, was lookout as son, Steven Pither, stole from a car

Published: 11 March 2010
by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS

POLICE believe a man convicted of stealing goods from inside a car and his mother who acted as his lookout were behind a mini-crimewave of thefts from vehicles.

Bernadette Gaitens, 49, of Spode Walk, Lymington Road, this week admitted helping her son Steven Pither take items from vehicles in Alvanley Gardens, West Hampstead in August last year.

The mother and son team were arrested during an undercover police sting after they broke into a decoy car set up by officers.

The operation took place after the West Hampstead Safer Neighbourhoods team noticed a rise in car break-ins in Alvanley Gardens – near where Pither and Gaitens lived – and decided to tackle the problem through the use of a decoy car which was fitted out with a video camera inside. 

Pither, 31, was sentenced to eight weeks’ jail in October after pleading guilty straight away to the offence. He is now serving a five-year prison term for drug dealing in Camden Town after being convicted in a separate case.

Sergeant Dave Timms said his officers had suspected Pither of being behind the thefts but were shocked when they viewed the footage, to see his mother behind him as he bent down to rummage around inside the car. 

Slightly built and grey-haired Gaitens – who changed her plea to guilty after initially denying the charge – spoke only to confirm her name and plea when she appeared at Blackfriars Crown Court on Tuesday.

Her barrister, Dejan Mladenovic, said the pair had stolen a dummy satellite navigation unit, a broken mobile phone and some loose change from the car. 

He added: “Effectively she acted as a lookout while her son broke into the vehicle and removed the items.”

Mr Mladenovic said she suffered from schizophrenia and has been on medication under the care of a psychiatrist at the Royal Free Hospital for more than 20 years. 

Prosecution barrister William Paynter told the court that following her arrest, Gaitens tested positive for crack cocaine, but he added that since her son had begun his prison sentence, she has been clean from drugs. 

Sgt Timms said catching the pair proved how local knowledge of an area and the kind of crimes taking place can help catch criminals. 

He added: “We were surprised really. We didn’t realise his mother would be involved – it’s quite unusual for that to happen. 

“You wouldn’t think the mother would actively encourage him to get involved in crime.”

Judge John Hillen released Gaitens on bail and ordered a psychiatric report to be prepared before sentencing next month.