A Romanian immigrant who was caught on CCTV stealing an 87-year-old woman’s purse in a supermarket has been spared jail.
A callous pair of thieves targeted the 87-year-old victim as she wheeled her trolley around an Aldi in Oswestry, Shropshire, on October 24.
Shocking footage showing the men distract the woman before stealing her purse and Romanian national Catalin-mihai Verea, 44, was arrested and charged with the theft following a nationwide appeal.
The cruel thieves distracted the 87-year-old shopper before making off with her purse
CCTV shows one of the men distracting the pensioner by pointing out items on the shelves while his accomplice roots around in her bag and pockets her purse containing £75.
On Wednesday Verea admitted theft at Telford Magistrates’ Court but was spared a prison sentence.
Magistrates instead ordered Verea, who currently lives in Smethwick, West Midlands, to pay £192.50 in compensation, £185 costs and a victim surcharge of £85.
Chair of the bench Margaret Linington-Payne said: ‘We find that this is a despicable crime. The only good thing was that the victim was emotionally strong.’
Prosecutor Abigail Hall said Verea had followed the victim, who was unaware she was being targeted, along the aisles of the supermarket.
She did not know her money and loyalty cards had been stolen until she got to the till to pay for her goods.
Verea, who had been in the UK for less than 12 months, removed the cash from the purse which was then thrown in a bin.
In her victim impact statement the woman brushed off her ordeal. She said: ‘To be honest I’m as tough as old boots. I have been carrying on as normal.
The pair entered the Aldi separately, before making off with £75 of a pensioner’s money
Shocking CCTV of the theft was posted online by police, and quickly sparked outrage
They can be seen reaching into the woman’s handbag, taking out her purse while she is not looking
In her victim impact statement the victim brushed off her ordeal. She said: ‘To be honest I’m as tough as old boots. I have been carrying on as normal’
‘I was not physically hurt and I didn’t know anything until I got to the till and I couldn’t find my purse.
‘Since this happened I have carried on with my normal routine. It hasn’t stopped me.
‘Obviously I lost the cash from my purse. Also it costs me about £48 a week in bus fares because I haven’t got my free bus pass.’
Lisa Morris-Jones, defending, told the court that her client regretted what he had done and was ‘remorseful’.
The woman has since had to pay out some £48 a week because the thieves made off with her bus pass
She said he had caught a lift to Oswestry after being promised cleaning work, but when he arrived no-one turned up to meet him.
She said: ‘He accepts that he was responsible for his actions and has pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He was fully co-operative with the police.’
Just a month after police posted the appeal, a Crowdfunding page raised almost £5,000 for the pensioner. A total of 470 donations raised £4,792 for the woman.