text: Rajul Patel (pictured) has been jailed for stealing £30,000 worth of jewellery and valuables from members of gyms across London . A serial thief who stole £30,000 worth of irreplaceable Rolex watches, jewellery and iPhones from wealthy gym members has today been jailed for 32 months. Rajul Patel, 35, targeted wealthy victims as they worked out at Virgin Active health clubs across London after obtaining memberships using the stolen driving licence of a gym-going doctor. In one spree, Patel stole a man's platinum wedding ring, first-year anniversary ring, and a 40th birthday bracelet, Isleworth Crown Court was told. He was finally stopped when another gym member spotted him returning to the changing room lockers just five minutes after beginning his workout. When challenged about the items he was removing, he replied: 'Do you not trust me?' Patel tried to escape arrest by running from the gym into a nearby shop but was discovered hiding behind a clothes rack. Prosecutor Paul Casey said a conservative estimate of the goods stolen during the two-month spree, not taking into account the items unreturned, was 'between £25,000-£30,000.' Mr Casey told the court: 'The facts of these burglaries begin with the identity documents of a Doctor Ritesh Sharma being stolen from his gym that he attended on the 12th of September 2014. 'There followed a number of thefts with Dr Sharma's identity being used by this defendant. 'It seems they bore a physical resemblance and he was able to use that photo identity before he was eventually apprehended on the 8th of November. 'On that date he attended the Kensington Active gym using Dr Sharma's identity. 'It was shown to staff and he was told he would need to pay an additional £25, as this particular branch was a premiere gym.' Mr Casey told the court that Dr Sharma almost came under police suspicion in relation to the thefts - such was the use of his identity cards. Patel took a Samsung Galaxy mobile phone worth £200 and a pair of Bose headphones, also worth £200, belonging to Peter Culak, at Virgin Active in Wimbledon on September 13. At the Clapham branch Patel grabbed a brand-new iPhone six worth £600, a £1,500 ring, a Rolex Oyster watch worth £2,500, a £150 designer purse, three credit cards and £910 in cash belonging to Oliver Budworth. Indian-born Patel stole Horace Treviss's Cartier watch worth £6,000, his £1,200 Cartier ring and a second ring by Bvlgari worth £1,300, as well as £50 cash when he was working out at the chain's Wandsworth gym on October 24. Patel targeted the Virgin Active in Notting Hill on November 4, taking Nicholas Little's £500 iPhone as well as £50 cash. Hours later he went to the Mayfair branch, taking Robby Surya's £2,000 bag containing a £500 iPhone, and £8,000 Rolex watch, a £100 jacket, a driving licence and three credit cards. Patel struck again, shortly before he was arrested on November 8 when he raided the changing rooms at the Virgin Active Gym, in Old Court Place, Kensington. He took a £10,000 Rolex, a £500 Samsung mobile phone, an iPhone worth £600 and a Dunhill wallet worth £200 belonging to Ivan Pavlov. Mr Pavlov also lost two credit cards, a £600 necklace as well as £50 cash. One of Patel's victims, Simon Parkinson, sat in court during sentence, explaining that he had suffered from depression and was forced to take time off of work after the 'sentimental' and 'irreplaceable' items were stolen. These included a phone, which stored pictures of the first year of his daughter's life. Patel also took his platinum wedding ring which he had saved for several years, a wedding anniversary ring, and a 40th birthday silver bracelet. Sentencing Patel, Judge Molyneux said: 'Between September and November 2014 you stole a gym membership card and a driving licence belonging to Dr Ritesh Sharma, and you carried out eight burglaries. In one instance, Patel stole a man's platinum wedding ring, first-year anniversary ring, and a 40th birthday bracelet, Isleworth Crown Court (pictured) heard . 'Whatever were the precise circumstances you have pleaded guilty to the theft of the cards. 'You resembled him and decided to use his card to enter gyms across London where you stole from lockers. 'The goods that were stolen were of a high value, in monetary terms between £25,000 and £30,000. 'But far more importantly they were of a high sentimental and emotional value to those who they belonged. 'It must have been clear to you that this was the case - one of those items was a wedding ring which was invaluable to the owner.' Judge Molyneux said the thefts had had 'lasting consequences' on Mr Parkinson. 'These offences were planned and organised, and took place over a period of months,' she continued. 'Whether this began opportunistically is to some extent irrelevant.' The court heard depression, gambling addiction, and the collapse of his business lay at the root of Patel's offending. Patel, a married father-of-one whose parents came to the UK from Tanzania, had spiraling debts to finance companies, credit card companies, and his relatives. He has a degree in computing and is a middle child, with siblings enjoying successful careers in medicine. The court was told Patel had brought 'shame' upon his family, and since his arrest had been working as a Dominos pizza delivery man. Patel, of Kingston-Upon-Thames, admitted eight counts of burglary and one of theft. Three others counts of burglary were left to lie on file.
target: Rajul Patel stole £30,000 worth of valuables from London gym members .
  Today he was jailed for 32 months for carrying out eight burglaries in 2014 .
  The married father-of-one took wedding rings, phones and Rolex watches .
  He was caught when he returned to locker room just after starting workout .
  Patel tried to escape arrest by hiding behind a clothes rack in nearby shop .