A MAN who robbed a pensioner and then fraudulently used her bank cards has been sentenced to more than three years in jail.
At the conclusion of a three-day trial at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday, November 20, Kieran O’Keefe, aged 33 and of no fixed abode, was found guilty of a count of robbery and three counts of fraud.
He was subsequently sentenced to three years and one month in prison.
Between 8.15am and 8.40am on March 28, the victim, a woman aged in her eighties, was at the Morrison’s store on Basingstoke Road, Reading.
O’Keefe was seen on CCTV following the victim and loitering outside the store until she finished her shopping.
He then followed the victim to her car, pushed her from behind, and snatched her bag.
After this, O’Keefe opened her bag and stole her purse and cycled away.
Later that day, he was seen on CCTV entering the One Stop Shop on Northumberland Avenue with a woman’s purse in his hands.
He walked around the shop while checking the contents of the purse, before buying tobacco with the victim’s bankcard.
O’Keefe then left the store, but returned again to buy more tobacco, in a tactic called “milking the cards” which is common for fraudsters.
O’Keefe later entered the Reading Food Centre and again used the victim’s cards to purchase tobacco.
He was arrested on May 20 and was charged the following day.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Berké Kircali, of the Reading Priority Crime Team, said: “The victim in this case showed great patience and strength throughout this investigation and trial.
“O’Keefe deliberately targeted an elderly victim, stealing her purse and using her card on a number of occasions for his own gain.
“To target the most elderly in our society is abhorrent, and I am pleased that the courts recognised the seriousness of O’Keefe’s crimes and sent him to prison.
“Opportunistic offenders such as O’Keefe target people that they deem to be vulnerable, and I would urge the public to be vigilant against such people. If you see anything that you believe looks suspicious, please report this to the police.”
