Jailed: Drug-addicted Staffordshire conwoman preyed on elderly victims
A conwoman who preyed on pensioners and disabled people in Burntwood and Chasetown has been jailed for four years and two months.
Heroin addict Rebecca Young tricked her way into homes by pretending to be a charity collector, sometimes using two young children as props. The 26-year-old, from Jervis Road, Chase Terrace, targeted five homes in the week leading up to Christmas. Once inside each one, she asked the householder for a drink and then, while they were out of the room, stole purses, wallets and handbags.
Stafford Crown Court heard this week how one of her victims, a 78-year-old woman, gave Young £100 from her Christmas savings to fix a 'water leak' because she felt sorry for the children that were with her. As well as stealing the woman's handbag, Young went on to run up around £700 of bills on her bank cards.
Another victim gave two £5 donations for 'Macmillan Cancer Care' before Young stole her bag containing £80 and a bus pass.
Recorder Mr Adam Feest told her: "You quite deliberately preyed on the elderly. You took children with you on two occasions.
"You had the foresight to make up documents saying you were collecting for charity, you pretended that you needed help when all you were intent on doing was stealing their money. The victims are elderly and vulnerable – you knew that and you used that against them.
"Preying on elderly people will always be treated severely by the courts."
Young admitted five charges of burglary and two of fraud.
Her other crimes saw her steal a bag containing £240 and bank cards from one victim, as well as gas and electricity cards from another.
A disabled man who was also targeted by Young went looking for her in his car after noticing his wallet and mobile phone were missing.
When he caught up with her, she threw the phone back at him but denied having anything else.
Police arrested Young at an address in Cedar Road, Burntwood, on December 23 discovering all of the stolen goods at the property.
Miss Siobhan Collins, defending her, said the crimes were carried out to fund her addiction to heroin which she had returned to after a period of being clean after finding out her partner had cheated on her.
Miss Collins added Young would lose everything by being sent to prison.
