A 29-year-old man has been jailed after stealing from a blind lady as he posed as a door-to-door salesman in Worksop but gave his real name.
Simon Bedding, 29, of Andover Road, Bestwood in Nottingham, has been sentanced to four and a half years in jail after pleading guilty to an earlier hearing.
The court heard that Bedding was posing as a door-to-door salesman in Worksop.
Bedding approached a house belonging to a blind lady and her guide dog and sold her £40 worth of cleaning products.
After leaving the house he later returned claiming he had left his mobile phone and asked to use the toilet, which was when he stole her bag containing a significant amount of cash and her mobile phone.
The victim realised her bag was missing and called the police. Officers used forensics from the products he had sold the victim and the name he had given her to link him to the scene.
Detective Constable Lee Keeling said: Bedding saw an opportunity to target a vulnerable victim and taking full advantage of her kindness he stole her bag and phone after being invited back into her home.
He was brazen enough to use his own first name when speaking to the victim which proved to be his downfall.
Detective Constable Lee Keeling of Nottinghamshire Police.
“This information coupled with the DNA on the cleaning materials he had sold to the victim ensured a lengthy prison spell.”
Bedding was arrested for burglary and fraud after the incident.
Detective Constable Lee Keeling added: “Never feel pressured into letting strangers into your property. Always ask for some form of identification or ask for them to call back another time when you have other family members in the house.
“I hope this sentence sends out a message that Nottinghamshire Police treat burglary very seriously and offenders can expect to be located and sent to prison.”
