A callous thief who donned hi-vis gear and posed as a workman to target victims in a sheltered housing complex has been jailed for three years and four months.
Paul Nicoll, 50, specifically picked his victims in a housing complex near his home because he knew they were elderly and vulnerable.
The brazen drug addict robbed his victims – who were in their 70s and 80s – while they were at home and he returned several times to the same properties.
Sheriff Paul Brown jailed Nicoll for 40 months at Dundee Sheriff Court and said: “These are reprehensible crimes.
“You targeted vulnerable elderly victims and stole from them to fund your drug habit. I see the vulnerability of the complainers as a substantial aggravating feature.”
Fake workman
Nicoll, from Montrose, admitted stealing cash from a sheltered home in Blackfriars Court after gaining entry by pretending to be a workman on August 14 last year.
He admitted targeting an 82-year-old man’s home in a neighbouring property to steal £80 cash on September 5. He admitted stealing £75 from a 71-year-old man’s home on September 14.
Nicoll also admitted breaching bail by returning to the sheltered housing complex that same day.
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan told the court: “The first victim lives alone in the sheltered housing complex and due to mobility difficulties she sees a carer once a day.
“She keeps her change in a glass jar at her bedside which she uses to pay the window cleaner. She had unlocked her door to let her carer in.”
He said: “She was sat on her bed when she heard someone entering so she made her way to the hallway and was met by the accused. He stated he was there to read the meter.
“She saw he was wearing a high-vis vest and he showed her a badge attached to a lanyard. She allowed him to continue and he was observed to look at a radiator.
“She heard the noise of the money jar rattling, but thought no more of it. He then informed her he had completed his checks and he left the property.
“She went to the bedroom and noticed the jar on its side. There was £23 missing. A description was given to police and it matched the accused, who was known to police and resided a few yards away.”
Helped himself to their cash
On September 5, he told an elderly resident that youngsters had run over the top of his car and had left the roof damaged as a result.
When the man went to inspect his car, Nicoll entered his house and helped himself to cash before calmly walking back out and passing the man on his pathway.
The man, aged 72 and also struggling with mobility issues, saw a penny lying on the living room floor and realised his cash had been taken by Nicoll.
Just over a week later Nicoll – who had been released on bail – returned to the area and was spotted by his previous victim as he targeted a third pensioner.
The third victim had been befriended by Nicoll a few weeks earlier, but he quickly realised what was going on and threw the drug addict out of his home. Nicoll had stolen £75 from him.
‘Borne out of desperation’
Solicitor Sarah Russo, defending, told the court: “He has a history of substance misuse. At the time of these offences were committed his addiction to heroin had been escalating.
“These offences were borne out of desperation to fund his drug addiction. He fully accepts he did take advantage of the vulnerabilities of the complainers.”
