Fake gardener jailed after stealing cash from pensioner with dementia in Histon
Edward Biddle, 51, gained access to the woman’s home by pretending to be a gardener and took money without doing any work
Last updated 3rd Jul 2025
A man who posed as a gardener to steal cash from a 95-year-old woman with dementia in Histon has been jailed for five years.
Edward Biddle, 51, entered the woman’s home on the morning of 18 February, claiming he was a gardener and that she owed him £120 for previous work. He took £60 in cash, despite not doing any work, and asked for her bank card and PIN. The woman did not know the PIN.
CCTV cameras recorded the incident, and the victim’s family reported Biddle to the police.
On 20 March, Biddle entered the home again but was spotted by family members watching the CCTV footage. They alerted a carer who called the police. Biddle left quickly but was later arrested after being identified from the footage.
At Peterborough Crown Court on 2 July, Biddle, from Muswell Road, Bedford, admitted one count of burglary and theft and one count of burglary with intent to steal before being sentenced.
Detective Constable Zoe Bramley, who led the investigation, said: “Biddle not only let himself into an elderly woman’s home, but also exploited her trust and vulnerability by taking her money for work he hadn’t done. The fact he came back a second time just shows how cold and callous he is. I’m pleased he’s now behind bars for his cowardly crimes.
“We’re doing all we can to put people who target the vulnerable behind bars, however, I would urge members of the public to check in with elderly relatives or neighbours to make them aware of rogue traders, and to report any concerns to us.”
Anyone with information about rogue traders should contact the police online, use the web chat service, or call 101 if they do not have internet access. More advice on spotting and reporting rogue traders is available on the police website.