Court case begins in case of Birkenhead man said to have burgled vulnerable Merseyside pensioners

May 19 2010 by Laura Jones, Bromborough and Bebington News

A BIRKENHEAD man who is said to have targeted elderly and vulnerable victims as he carried out a string of distraction burglaries appeared in court.

Lee Thomas, 37, of Aughton Grove, Birkenhead, appeared before magistrates in Bootle via a video link from Walton prison on May 11 charged with burgling five homes in Crosby, Southport and Birkenhead and one count of fraud.

Thomas has also been charged with a further two burglaries in Crosby and will appear in court later this month on those charges.

The 37-year-old is said to have burgled his elderly victims in a four month crime spree across Merseyside.

On March 21, 2010 Thomas is alleged to have targeted a 91-year-old woman at her home in Blundellsands Road West.

He is also charged with striking in Waterloo at an address on Argo Road on April 2, where he is said to have stolen a set of house keys and £45 in cash from a 91-year-old.

On the same day the 37-year-old is said to have stolen two gold rings and a number of gold chains after burgling the Ash Street home of a 87-year-old woman.

Thomas is accused of burgling the house of an 87-year-old in Birkenhead on February 19, stealing a bank card and a purse containing cash.

He is also charged with using a bank card fraudulently on the same date.

Later, on March 31 at Queens Road in Southport it is alleged that Thomas stole purses, cash, bank and store cards from a 55-year-old woman.