A prolific burglar who preyed upon vulnerable elderly women living near Tunbridge Wells has been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.
David Cooper targeted victims who lived alone and who were left helpless as he ransacked their homes to help himself to possessions including treasured items of jewellery.
The 52-year-old, from Matfield entered properties belonging to two women aged in their late 80s.
The first victim lived in Matfield and discovered Cooper inside her house on 3 August 2022. After entering through a back door, he told her he was collecting money for clearing up hedge trimmings before then leaving.
The victim later found her bedroom drawers emptied and that jewellery including her mother’s wedding ring had been stolen.
Barged into vulnerable victim
Three days later, on 6 August, Cooper knocked on the door of an address in Hawkhurst, home to a woman in her 80s. He claimed he was a neighbour and had been cutting her hedge.
He demanded money and pushed the pensioner, who suffered from mobility issues and was partially sighted, out of the way. Cooper then headed upstairs. No items were found to have been stolen during this incident.
An investigation led to the recovery of CCTV, which showed Cooper in the area at the time of the offence in Hawkhurst.
He was arrested on 9 August and charged with two counts of burglary.
Cowardly offences
Cooper pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and was sentenced on Wednesday 23 November.
Leading the investigation was Detective Constable Josh Littley, of the Chief Constable’s Crime Squad, who said: ‘David Cooper has callously targeted some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. He is a repeat and prolific offender and whose actions are that of a cowardly and despicable individual.
‘Cooper is someone who simply doesn’t care about the profound distress his actions cause and had we not been able to identify him early on in our investigation, there is absolutely no doubt he would have sought to inflict further misery and despair upon other elderly victims.‘I hope this sentence will at least offer some reassurance and comfort to all those affected by his crimes.’