A man who tried to trick an 85-year-old Bath woman out of £400 for work he had never carried has been jailed for three years.
Jim Chuter, 24, from Slough, tried to persuade the woman to hand over the cash after he met her in Moorland Road on December 1st last year.
Although he had never met her before, he followed her home and told her she owed him money for work he had carried out on her roof.
She handed over £400, but then changed her mind and demanded it back. Chuter returned the cash and walked away – but was later traced and arrested after forensic tests identified him.
At Bristol Crown Court on May 2nd Chuter pleaded guilty to burglary and was jailed for three years.
Det Con Jessica Beeson, who investigated the case, said: “The sentence reflects the seriousness of this offence. Distraction burglaries, particularly involving the elderly and vulnerable, are a cruel crime and we want people to know that we will do all we can to catch those responsible.“
