A career criminal who has been targeting wealthy City gym-goers for years is facing jail for his latest crime spree.
Paul Hughes, 59, has made a living ransacking lockers of bank cards and jewellery as his well-heeled victims worked out in London’s square mile.
Hughes and an associate swiped two watches, worth more than £15,000, after forcing open lockers at a boutique health club in Ropemaker Street.
He returned to the scene of the crime a few days later and was recognised by staff from CCTV.
The manager alerted cops who swooped on the changing rooms and caught Hughes with a bag of loan agreements for pawning high-value watches, a screwdriver, two gym guest passes, and someone else’s driving licence.
Hughes was jailed for 20 months at the Old Bailey in 2015.
He had also targeted gym users in Salisbury and Southampton using their bank cards to empty his victims’ bank accounts of more than £30,000 three years earlier.
Hughes was jailed for four years for that spree at Winchester Crown Court in 2012 after his DNA was found on a wig that he wore as part of his disguise.
Paul Hughes, 59, is facing jail again after making a living stealing bank cards and jewellery from lockers in high end London gyms. He admitted two counts of theft and one count of fraud at the Old Bailey today
The City of London Police released CCTV footage of Hughes in the middle of his crime spree
He admitted two counts of theft and one count of fraud when he returned to the Old Bailey today.
The offences related to a watch stolen on 3 November last year, along with another watch, wedding ring, wallet, bank cards and driving licence belonging to Gregory Curtis on 10 February.
Hughes also admitted fraud relating to cash withdrawal from ATMs using Mr Curtis’s banks cards.
He had earlier admitted five further counts of theft, including an £8,000 Rolex, belonging to Toby Gibbs, on 24 July 2024, a £6,000 Omega Seamaster on 21 October 2024,
Hughes also pilfered a £15,000 Rolex GMT2 on 19 February 2025, an £8,000 Rolex Explorer six months later on August 7 and a £12,000 Rolex Sea Dweller from a customer at The Ned, a members club at Poultry in the City last on 3 November.
He also swiped a £2,000 Tag Aqua Racer Blackface, a £2857 18ct platinum and white gold wedding ring, and a £200 Thomas Sabo silver chain, from a gym locker on March 10 2026.
Prosecutor Gregor McKinley indicated Hughes should face a three year jail sentence for bald-headed and bespectacled Hughes, who appeared in court over video-link.
Judge Lynn Griffin ordered reports and remanded Hughes in custody ahead of sentence on June 4.
Police Constable Emilie Cox, of the Volume Crime Unit at the City of London Police, said: ‘Hughes is a prolific offender who deliberately chose to target luxury facilities, accessing the changing rooms and stealing from people’s lockers as they were exercising in the gym.
‘The items he stole were of high value and some of the jewellery was also incredibly sentimental to the victims and unfortunately can never be replaced.
‘People who visit gyms expect their belongings to be safe in their lockers and don’t tend to expect anyone to be looking over their shoulder and stealing their PIN.
‘Unfortunately, we know this is a method used by prolific criminals.’
