DISTURBING footage shows the moment a plumber goes into a client’s bedroom and begins rummaging through her underwear drawer and “sniffing her pants”.
The bizarre incident was caught on a surveillance camera at the customer’s home in Wakefield, South Yorkshire on 28 October.
The woman, who does not wish to be identified, had left the plumber to fix her shower while she went to work, but was called back to the home when her CCTV sent an alert to her phone.
As the clip begins, the plumber can be seen entering the bedroom and surveying the scene.
He makes his way around the bed, peering at the woman’s possessions as he goes.
He meanders over to her bedside drawers, which apparently contain underwear, and begins to open them.
The drawer is off camera, but the plumber can be seen rooting around in the space as well as bending down to get a closer look.
At one point, the plumber crouches down and stares directly at the camera.
He then gets on his hands and knees and begins looking under the customer’s bed.
As the clip ends, he makes his way over to a corner in the room which according to the woman, is where her underwear was drying.
He can then be seen picking something up, said to be one of the customer’s thongs, which he then brings towards his face.
The 50-year-old woman says she called the police immediately after realising what had happened and the man, thought to be in his 60s, was arrested.
The music business professional claimed that a memory card in her drawers had also been taken during the incident – however police were unable to prove this so let the man go.
Speaking today, she explained: “I’ve got a camera in my bedroom because when you get burgled that’s where they go first.
“I couldn’t watch the whole thing, but my business partner has told me what happens and you can see his hands rummaging around in my drawer.
“He has destroyed my confidence. I can’t go out on my own.
“I’m scared, I can’t go home. I’m couch hopping at the moment.
“The police told me they can’t do anything, because there isn’t enough proof he took the SD card and apparently what he’s done isn’t illegal.
“But they didn’t search him or his toolbox for it.
“They are very insensitive and told me all of this over the phone. They basically said it’s apparently quite common and to just move on with my life.
“I think it’s disgusting the society we live in, and that I can be made to feel the way that I am. I’m just scared.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire police said: “Police attended an address in Wakefield following a report of suspicious circumstances and arrested a man on suspicion of burglary.
“He was released following an investigation which established that no items had been stolen and no criminal offence had been committed.
“The complainant has been referred to partner agencies for further support.”
