A heartless sneak thief has been jailed for targeting two elderly women and a disabled man while high on valium. Tracey Elliott tricked her way into the Edinburgh home of a man in his 40s with severe learning difficulties by pretending to need a glass of water.
The 44-year-old then tried to grab a wallet from the victim’s trouser pocket before fleeing. Elliott also conned her way into a pensioner’s home by pretending to need a drink before stealing cash.
She was caught after the victim’s angry neighbours pursued her through the streets and restrained her for police. Elliott appeared from custody at the city's sheriff court on Tuesday and pled guilty to three charges.
Fiscal depute Janet MacDonald said Elliott called at the door of the man with learning difficulties - whom she didn’t know - in the city's Niddrie area. Ms McDonald said she asked for a drink and the kindly victim offered to get her one.
The court heard he turned round in his kitchen to find Elliott standing there and she tried to reach into his pocket to steal a wallet. Elliott ran off empty-handed following the attempted theft at 11.30am on July 1.
Fifteen minutes later, the court was told Elliott came to the door of a 77-year-old woman and claimed she’d been “battered”. Ms McDonald said the pensioner went to get her a glass of water and Elliott came inside the home despite being asked to wait at the front door.
The prosecutor said Elliott was given a bottle of water but stole a plastic tub containing around £20 of loose change. After Elliott left, the victim alerted neighbours who chased and caught her until cops arrived.
On the previous day, Elliott sneaked into the home of a 72-year-old woman in the city’s Craigmillar area. Ms McDonald said the woman returned after leaving her home for five minutes to find Elliott in her kitchen.
Elliott - who told the woman “you’ve got a nice wee flat here” - stole the victim’s purse.
Defence agent Murray Robertson conceded his client’s offences were “despicable” and “mean-spirited”.
Mr Robertson said Elliott had been staying in homeless accommodation in Edinburgh and was described as being “out her face” on valium.
Elliott admitted three counts of entering a home without invitation, twice stealing property and once attempting to steal a wallet.
Sheriff John Cook jailed Elliott for 326 days, telling her she’d deliberately targeted “vulnerable” victims in their own homes.
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