A thief who preyed on a dozen vulnerable elderly people, including a double amputee and a pensioner recovering from heart surgery the day before, stealing more than £1,000 from them, was jailed at Dundee Sheriff Court.
James McCafferty had been released early from prison just days before going on the crime spree, having previously been jailed for similar offences.
He is now behind bars for four years and three months after admitting stealing cash from the men and women, aged between 63 and 85.
The court heard McCafferty knocked on the doors of his victims’ homes many of whom lived in sheltered housing and often asked to borrow a pen and paper.
He then followed them inside and asked for a glass of water, before leaving quickly with their purses or cash he had taken from their home.
On one occasion he grabbed a 79-year-old man’s pension money from his back pocket and snatched £30 from the same man’s wallet days later when he saw him in the street.
On two other occasions he brazenly grabbed his victim’s purse and wallet in front of them and then ran out of their homes as they shouted after him.
Many of his victims were described in court as visibly vulnerable, some were disabled, on walking frames, struggled to talk or were of nervous disposition.
Depute fiscal Nicola Gillespie told the court McCafferty was released from prison on licence just days before his three-week crime spree, having previously been sentenced to a four-year jail term for thefts of a similar nature.
The fiscal said none of the money or stolen items were recovered, with the exception of a mobile phone that he grabbed from a 72-year-old man.
Solicitor Mike Creegan told the court McCafferty has had a “serious” problem with heroin for a considerable length of time.
He said: “Mr McCafferty has spent a long time in prison and struggles to cope in the community. He knows his behaviour was despicable, but it was out of desperation.”
McCafferty, a prisoner at Edinburgh, admitted 12 charges of theft by entering elderly people’s homes and stealing a total of £1,034, a cheque book, bank book and mobile phone and charger.
He also admitted a 13th charge of stealing £30 and a lighter from a man on Happyhillock Walk and a 14th charge of having heroin at police headquarters.
The offences took place between June 24 and August 14 last year.