A conman has admitted stealing from a vulnerable woman’s house after convincing her he was a council worker there to check on a gas leak.
Dean Marriott, 52, pretended to scan different areas around the house using a “remote control” as part of the elaborate ruse, before then distracting the victim and stealing her phone and handbag.
Officers were able to identify Marriott as a suspect, after CCTV filmed outside the house in Aldgate Close, Bulwell, showed him looking through the kitchen window before the distraction burglary and then leaving the house with a handbag and phone shortly afterwards.
Marriott, of no fixed address, was chased by officers after returning to the property five hours after the incident on 21 January 2022 while carrying a plastic bag containing the stolen iPhone 12, which he claimed someone had “told me to bring back because it’s all over Facebook”.
After being arrested and charged with the offence, Marriott appeared before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Saturday (29 January), where he pleaded guilty to burglary and theft.
Marriott will appear before Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on 21 February 2022.
Detective Constable Demi Robertson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We are extremely pleased to have been able to secure a conviction in this case, which saw a thief deceive his way into someone’s home under false pretences.
“Stamping out burglaries from our communities is one of our key priorities as a Force, we know how important it is for people to feel safe within their own homes. Targeting vulnerable individuals is completely unacceptable.
“Burglary is such an intrusive crime that sadly can have both a financial and lasting emotional impact on victims, so it is absolutely imperative that the public know that we’re doing everything in our powers to crack down on incidents like this.
“The message is clear – burglary and theft will never be tolerated and offenders will be found and punished.”
