A BURGLAR who targeted elderly and vulnerable pensioners after befriending them has been jailed for five and half years.

Andrew Hayward forced or blagged his way into the homes of three people before stealing cash and sentimental jewellery from his unsuspecting victims.

The window cleaner even stole from a pensioner’s home, where he stored his equipment, just days after his wife cremated, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The Northern Echo:

Hayward, pictured above, forced his way into the home of an 83-year-old dementia sufferer before stealing cash from her purse – his second raid on the vulnerable pensioner after stealing a jewellery box from her bedroom weeks earlier.

Neil Pallister, prosecuting, said Hayward’s latest crime spree started on February 13 when he stole the pensioner's wedding ring after conning in her into letting him into her home to use the toilet.

Mr Pallister said he returned to her home on March 30 and pushed her out of the way before taking £20 in cash from her purse claiming that she owed him money for window cleaning.

"She refused to let him, he pushed her out of the way and closed the door behind him," he added. "He then entered the living room and took £20 from her purse and then left."

The victim called the police to report Hayward and a search of nearby CCTV showed the defendant leaving the property on both occasions.

On March 23 the defendant conned his way into another pensioner's home and stole £310 from his wallet which was in his jeans pocket in the bedroom.

In a victim impact statement, the pensioner said he was left struggling for money as a result and had been unable to buy food for himself.

Hayward, of New Road, Billingham, pleaded guilty to the three burglary charges when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court.

At an earlier hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court the 40-year-old admitted the theft of a coin purse containing about £15 from a Billingham address on January 27, and failing to surrender to custody.

Nicci Horton, in mitigation, said Hayward was a chronic heroin addict at the time of the offences and was 'ashamed' of his behaviour at the time.

Judge Stephen Ashurst jailed the defendant for a total of five and a half years for the offences.

The judge slammed Hayward for deliberately targeting his victims after befriending them, particularly for stealing money off the 73-year-old man whose wife had died weeks earlier.

He added: "Stealing from the elderly is a particularly disgraceful way to behave and repay their particular trust. Not only were all of the victims over 70, they were all particularly vulnerable."