A SMASH and grab robber who targeted a pensioner as she waited in her car at traffic lights has been jailed for five years.
Mashooq Hussain of Wenlock Court, Stratford Road was found guilty following a two day trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
The court heard how the 48-year-old smashed the front window of a woman’s car as she waited at traffic lights near Solihull town centre on March 16.
He grabbed the 67-year-old’s handbag from the passenger seat and then went on to use her bank card in a series of contactless purchases.
Officers trawled CCTV and were able to trace the purchases back to Hussain who was arrested on March 28 and remanded in custody until his trial.
Detective Constable Adam Buzzard, from force CID, said: “This was a particularly nasty incident and the woman tried in vain to stop him taking her bag.
“There was another woman aged 70 in the car and the women were understandably left traumatised by the attack.
“I would like to take this opportunity to commend the courage shown by these women throughout the investigation and trial.
“Hussain was obviously aware that bank cards would be reported as stolen and quickly used the card again and again.
“Officers were able to track him down and a dangerous man has been behind bars since March.
“We hope that the sentence can give some sort of closure to the victims.”
