An Algerian illegal immigrant hid mobile phones in his pants and socks after pinching them from girls’ handbags in Kingston’s largest nightclub.

Arresting officers at Oceana found a haul of 16 mobile phones in the pockets of smartly-dressed Fethi Baouche, 33, when they arrested him at 3am on March 11, Kingston Magistrates’ Court heard last week.

They then found six more phones in his socks, stolen from bags swinging from the shoulders of female clubbers.

And when he started fidgeting with his belt they were amazed to find he had secreted another phone in his underwear.

Baouche greeted the officers who read him his rights with “no problem darlings”, the court heard.

Officers also found a small bag of what appeared to be herbal cannabis, money and credit cards.

He admitted 13 counts of theft at Kingston Magistrates’ Court on March 26, when it was revealed the Algerian had managed to illegally sneak back into the country with a fake French passport, despite an earlier deportation to Spain.

Defending, Caroline Bonavia, claimed Baouche had “ended up” with the phones but had not stolen them, and said one of the phones was his anyway.

An accomplice of Baouche, seen arguing with him outside the club, ran away.

Prosecutor Sally-Ann Russell said the Crown Prosecution Service could not accept he had simply been handed the phones, when at least one witness saw him pinching them.

Detectives said there was a growing problem of mobile phone thefts from clubs across the UK.

In the UK phones are relatively cheap with costs racked up in phone calls.

In north Africa, it was revealed in court, phones are expensive and calls cost next to nothing.

Criminal gangs could make large amounts of money by channelling stolen phones back to their home country.

Baouche will face prison and then deportation by the UK Border Agency when he is sentenced at Kingston Crown Court later this month.

Another nine mobile phones believed to belong to clubbers were unclaimed.

Call Kingston CID on 020 8247 4909.