Courier firm Employees and wife sentenced for Stealing Jewellery from an Airline at Heathrow Airport

Two courier firm employees who stole high-value jewellery from an airline and a woman who stowed it at her home have been sentenced  at Isleworth Crown Court,

A a manager for courier firm DHL who was  driving behind a company van when it pulled over on Green Lane, Hounslow.



She saw a man she recognised as DHL employee Donald Marklew, 41, of Hibernia Road, Hounslow, get out of the van.  Marklew place an airline-issue holdall, used to store airline headphones, in a blue BMW, the driver of which was a woman she identified as Donald Marklew's wife, Amandip Marklew, 31, also of Hibernia Road, Hounslow.



Marklew's job involved refreshing blankets and similar items on planes for one airline after they had landed at Heathrow Airport.



The manager promptly reported what she had seen to her line manager, who in turn reported it to the Met Police.


Police went to Marklews' home address that morning where they arrested Amandip Marklew  and recovered the airline bag, which contained jewellery worth almost £6,000.

They recovered a second bag which Amandip Marklew had identified as containing more stolen goods - inside were bottles of perfume worth a combined value of almost £4,000.

The jewellery and perfume were subsequently identified by a loss prevention expert for the airline as being property of the company.


Marklews told police that he bought the perfume from a market stall, knowing it to be stolen and intending to sell it on.

He claimed he did not know the bag contained jewellery when he picked it up while at work but that upon realising it was filled with jewellery, he and his colleague, Jeffrey Morton, decided to share it.

Morton, 36, of Micheldever Way, Bracknell, was arrested at his workplace at approximately. He denied any wrongdoing.

Donald Marklew pleaded guilty to one count of theft and one count of handling stolen goods; Amandip Marklew pleaded guilty to one count of handling stolen goods; Morton pleaded guilty to one count of theft at Isleworth Crown Court.

Donald Marklew was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months; he must carry out 120 hours’ unpaid work and pay £160 costs. Amandip Marklew was sentenced to carry out 80 hours' unpaid work and pay £160 costs. Morton was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months; he must carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work and pay £160 costs.