A THIEF has been fined after he snatched a set of house keys from a garage customer so he could receive a reward on their return.

T Norm Mohammed admitted taking the keys, as well as a mobile phone and wallet, from a customer at an ATS garage in Evesham, Worcester Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

The court was told that Mohammed, of Rynal Place, Evesham, stole the items after the man left them on top of a newspaper he was reading while he waited for work on his vehicle to be completed.

When the customer alerted the garage to their disappearance, staff quizzed Mohammed, who gave "uneasy responses".

After staff duped the 49-year-old - who worked casually at the firm - into believing the garage was covered by CCTV cameras, Mohammed confessed to the crime.

Mohammed, who has changed his name by deed poll from Trevor Key and who has had a string of aliases, including Trevor Stephenson, told the court that he was deeply sorry for his actions.

"I had a lapse of concentration - I took it with the intention of getting a reward on the keys," the gardener and handyman, who represented himself in court, explained to magistrates.

"I'm sorry for my actions and the grief I've given ATS. I work for them in return for them looking after my vehicles.

"I've spoilt that relationship and I'm back to square one with my vehicles.

"I'm sorry to appear in front of you - it won't happen again. I've got a nice family and I want to look after them," he said.

Magistrates fined him £200 and ordered him to pay £55 costs.