Guilt-ridden thief who wrote 'sorry' note to victim caught after including his name and phone number

A bogus caller has been jailed after returning money he stole from a pensioner – with £40 extra and a note containing his name and phone number. Simon Crewe posed as a window cleaner to steal from the woman's home last month. While the 85-year-old's back was turned, he made off with a purse containing £160. But he felt so bad about it he sent her a letter of apology and £200 to make amends. The 26-year-old, who has a string of previous convictions, immediately regretted the theft, Leicester Crown Court was told. He was later contacted by the police and handed himself in.

Yesterday, he was given a two-year-and-five-month jail sentence. He admitted the distraction burglary in Meadvale Road, Knighton, Leicester, on June 18. At the time, Crewe, of Herrick Road, off Welford Road, Leicester, was on license from a seven-year jail sentence, imposed in 2004 for four distraction house burglaries, with 47 similar offenses taken into consideration. The offenses involved him calling at elderly people's homes, posing as an official from an electricity or gas company. Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said Crewe was carrying a ladder when he called at the victim's home at 8.30am. She assumed he was her window cleaner and, as she left him outside to go upstairs on her stairlift, Crewe made off with her purse from a windowsill.

Mr Murphy said that eight days later he put a letter through the woman's door returning her money with an extra £40. He said: "Crewe said he was sorry and left a contact number." He later told the police he argued with his partner about money and went out looking for window cleaning work, but was tempted on seeing the purse. He said the victim was "a nice old lady". Mr Murphy said: "He immediately felt bad but was too scared to return it for several days, having burnt the complainant's purse and bus pass. In fact, the letter returning the money upset her even further and left her confused." Sally Bamford, for Crewer, said it was an exceptional case and Crewe would have escaped being caught, but for his letter of apology identifying who he was. She said he had changed his behavior since his last sentence, and become more sympathetic to victims of crime.

Ms Bamford said: "It was an impulsive act and he did what he could to put the matter right. "He handed himself in to the police and became emotional in interview, which had to be stopped because he was so overwrought. He takes full responsibility." Sentencing, Judge Sylvia De Bertodano said: "What makes this so bad is that someone elderly and vulnerable was targeted in their home." She said custody had to follow "no matter how much remorse you feel". She said: "You paid the money back under cover of a letter, effectively turning yourself in. I accept you were trying to make amends."