Sneak-in thieves who targeted elderly with sob story about lost cat jailed
Two women who tricked their way into the homes of elderly victims with a sob story of how they had lost a cat before stealing cash and jewellery have been locked up for three years.
Cristina Radosavljevic, of West Bromwich, and Bianca Petrunescu, from Birmingham, preyed mainly on women who lived alone – with three of their victims aged 93, 90 and 87.
Both admitted five counts of burglary at Birmingham Crown Court.
Recorder James Guthrie QC told the pair it was 'impossible to overstate the meanness and selfishness' of what they had done.
The court was told the spate of burglaries was carried out between August 21 and September 13 last year.
Radosavljevic, 19, of Lincoln Road, and Petrunescu, 26, of Ralph Road, Alum Rock, would knock on doors pretending to be college students who had lost their beloved cat.
After being invited in, one would keep the victim talking while the other asked if they could use the toilet – instead raiding bedrooms for jewellery and cash.
The first burglary took place in Coventry where the pair took jewellery worth £4,690 from a 66-year-old woman.
They next targeted a 90-year-old from Erdington taking three wedding rings, worth £500. They then took £50 in cash from a 93-year-old woman from Nechells in Birmingham and a purse containing £400 cash from an 87-year-old in Great Barr.
The pair also admitted another burglary in the Eastlands area of Stafford, taking jewellery.
Radosavljevic also admitted a separate count of theft after stealing around £7,000 of jewellery along with electrical equipment from an address in Great Barr.
Miss Sophie Murray, defending Petrunescu said her client felt 'deep remorse'. Recorder Guthrie said: "You both played on the kindness of your victims and possibly their age. Once you tricked your way inside you stole things precious to them."
