A serial thief who preys on the old and frail was back behind bars last night after he conned his way into a pensioner’s home and tried stealing her handbag.
Drug addict David McKenzie pretended to be from the Department for Work and Pensions in order to gain entry to 87-year-old Margaret Bain’s home.
He claimed he was there to check on her carer, whom he said was swindling the state.
When the sceptical OAP refused to grant him entry, he assaulted her by pushing her back into her home before rummaging around under her furniture searching for something to steal.
But the repeat offender was caught red handed when two plain-clothed police officers spotted his odd behaviour through the window of their unmarked car which was sitting at a set of traffic lights near her home.
Yesterday the 37-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted carrying out the assault and attempted robbery on December 2 last year.
Fiscal depute Anne Macdonald said the incident took place at around 9am when Mrs Bain, who can only walk with the aid of two sticks, was waiting for her carer to arrive.
She said the pensioner had been in her home when she heard knocking at her window. This was followed by someone trying to gain access by repeatedly pressing her intercom buzzer.
When she went to find out who was at her door, McKenzie told Mrs Bain that he was from the DWP and was looking to question her about her carer.
Miss MacDonald said Mrs Bain did not believe him, however after he repeatedly pestered her, she went to the door to speak to him.
The court heard that McKenzie was smartly dressed and showed her some form of identification, but she continued to refuse to let him in.
She said at that point McKenzie pushed her by the shoulders and forced his way into her home.
Miss MacDonald added that Mrs Bain had considered hitting him with her walking stick, but she was scared she would lose her balance.
The court heard the incident was witnessed by two passing police officers who were sufficiently concerned that they went to check on Mrs Bain.
They quickly apprehended McKenzie, who is now a prisoner in Edinburgh, and arrested him.
Representing the repeat offender, who was jailed in April last year for stealing a wallet from a 70-year-old man, solicitor Graham Morrison said it was a “despicable, mean and horrible crime”.
Sheriff Annella Cowan jailed McKenzie, who has a 20-year history of offending, for three years.