Prolific Sheffield burglar jailed for eight years
Andrew Deeley used a range of excuses to trick his way into the homes of vulnerable people
A prolific burglar from Sheffield has been jailed for eight years after tricking his way into several elderly victims homes to steal their possessions.
56 year old Andrew Deeley, of no fixed address, used a range of excuses to get into people's homes before stealing valuables.
Sheffield Crown Court heard he targeted vulnerable people in Sheffield and Barnsley, pretending to be from the council or claiming to need access to carry out repairs.
He was identified as a suspect in 15 burglaries in total and was found guilty of eight different offences.
He was arrested in June after police were called to a burglary in the Broadway Area. He was found to be carrying £1,000 he'd just stolen from a nearby house.
Investigating Officer Ellie Davies said:
“Deeley was a shameless thief and prolific burglar, who preyed on the elderly and vulnerable in communities right across the city.
“When victims spoke to him, Deeley would claim he was there to fix windows, radiators or do building work at the request of the local authority or a family member.
“By making these claims, he was able to sneak in through open back doors, or even follow carers into addresses unchallenged.
“He took thousands of pounds in cash, stealing purses, wallets and other valuables.
“On one occasion, he told an elderly woman he had come to spray her property to stop ants, helping her ‘gather’ up her belongings and valuables, before putting them into a bag and fleeing the address.”