JAILED: Polish thief who targeted elderly on streets of Wolverhampton

Gabriel Lipinski 'bullied' an unwell 77-year-old man awaiting heart surgery and terrified a woman aged 73 by grabbing her handbag three days later, a judge heard.

The 21-year-old who had a previous conviction for a street robbery in Poland during which he stole a mobile phone struck first in Penn Road, Wolverhampton on September 20, the city's crown court heard.

The victim was enjoying a Sunday afternoon stroll from his home to that of a friend when confronted by Lipinski who had deliberately targeted the man because he was elderly and 'aggressively' demanded cigarettes, disclosed Mr Matthew Barnes, prosecuting.

The lawyer continued: "He said in poor English 'give me cigarettes or I take all.' The elderly man was frightened, vulnerable and awaiting a heart procedure but resisted and managed to flag down a passing car whose driver came to his assistance."

Lipinski fled but by a lucky coincidence had been recognised by the 'Good Samaritan' motorist who had been at a nearby convenience store a few days earlier then Lipinski stole some cans of lager. CCTV footage of the incident recovered from security cameras at the shop disclosed that the wanted man had a distinctive mohican hairstyle.

Three days after confronting the elderly man he targeted the 73-year-old woman who was walking in Bilston near the address where he was living at the time, the court was told.

He came up behind her and grabbed her handbag which she bravely tried to hang on to before being forced to let go after a short struggle, said Mr Barnes.

Lipinski combed the bag from which he took £15 cash before throwing it away as he fled from the scene. A description of the thief and his tell tale mohican haircut was circulated to police in the area and Lipinski was arrested later the same day.

Mr Barnes explained: "The woman was extremely upset by the incident. She was very distressed about the prospect of having to give evidence in a trial and that encouraged the prosecution to accept his guilty plea to theft rather than pursue a case for robbery.

Mr Simon Williams, defending, said: "He is ashamed of the offences he committed and realises that the victims are now living in fear because of his actions.

"He cannot believe that he has behaved in this way and is unable to explain why it happened because he had a job. These were impulsive actions."

Lipinski from Willenhall Road, Wolverhampton pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and theft and was sent to prison by Judge Amjad Nawaz who told him:

"You are a fit, strong young man who committed these serious offences against elderly individuals who were making their way along the street when you accosted them.

"You tried to bully the elderly man into handing over property to you and it was only because he was able to flag down a passing car that you did not succeed. There is a high risk to vulnerable victims who you come across in the street but it is not yet a sufficiently entrenched form of behaviour for you to be described as 'dangerous' and receive an extended sentence."