A MAN who stole an 80-year-old’s bank card and went on a wild spending spree has been jailed.
West Midlands Police described Robert Miskella from Birmingham as a distraction burglar who posed as a water board official to trick his way into a pensioner’s home in Sheldon last December.
Once inside the 35-year-old claimed he’d carried out bathroom repairs worth £160.
Realising the elderly lady didn’t have the money, he pressured her into handing over her bank card.
He promised to get the money and return immediately − but instead went on a frivolous splurge in Birmingham city centre.
He spent thousands of pounds in Schuh and Footlocker on new clothes and trainers.
Unbeknown to him police say they were alerted to the crime early on and began tracking his movements, collecting CCTV of him at various outlets.
They say once officers from the High Harm team identified Miskella as a suspect, forensic investigators were able to match his fingerprints stored on the database to those left in the pensioner’s bathroom and Miskella was arrested and charged with distraction burglary and fraud.
He initially tried to deny the offence, but pleaded guilty in light of the overwhelming evidence against him.
He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday afternoon (May 31).
