The former carer of an elderly dementia sufferer was captured letting herself in to her patient’s flat on a hidden camera installed after family concerns that money had gone missing.
Claudia-Simona Groza, who had stopped caring for the 91-year-old in April, can be seen stealthily entering the man’s house in the dead of night while he slept and going into another room before coming back in view. She then dips her hand in a coat pocket before leaving seemingly empty-handed.
The 48-year-old, from Clifton, admitted burgling her former patient’s home in Sheepfold Lane, Ruddington, at around 2am last Friday (16 July).
The police investigation quickly established that the intruder accessed the property with a key kept in a safe outside and that only a handful of people knew the code.
Social Services had installed motion detectors for safety reasons and the family had concerns that large amounts of money had gone missing previously coupled with the motion detector showing irregular night time activity. This then led to them installing CCTV.
The victim’s daughter: “As a family, we were aware of money going missing over the period of a few months. This was very upsetting for us all. It appeared someone was entering the property during the night. We installed cameras and were distressed but pleased that we were able to catch the person in the act.
“We will continue to support dad through this, he’s been very uneasy since it happened and we try not to mention it in front of him. We thank the police for their prompt response and arrest.”
Groza was arrested a few days later and charged with burglary. She pleaded guilty to the offence on Wednesday at her first appearance at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court.
She is next due to appear at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on 11 August.
Detective Constable Liam O’Kane said: “Carers are a lifeline for many vulnerable people across the county, particularly over the last 16 months during the Coronavirus pandemic when families haven’t been able to visit as often as they normally might.
“Most carers are a vital support network for families and incidents like this are incredibly rare.
“Groza was in a position of trust and was supposed to be looking after her victim but instead she burgled his house for her own personal gain.
“We take reports of burglary very seriously and will always carry out a robust investigation.
“This has led to Groza quickly admitting the offence due to the strength of the evidence against her.
“I hope the victim and his family can find some comfort from this. They have rightly been left shaken by the incident and we have been working with them to ensure they get the support they need.”
Councillor Boyd Elliott, chairman of the adult social care and public health committee, said: “This is a despicable case and I am pleased that the police have secured a conviction. Crimes of this nature are thankfully very rare but in the cases where they do occur it’s important justice is served and a message is sent that the authorities will take the strongest possible action to safeguard vulnerable people. We know the vast majority of carers are in the job to provide the best standard of care and compassion possible. This individual is a rare exception to that and I welcome the conviction.”
Nottinghamshire Police has been working hard to tackle burglary offences. The force’s proactive work in this area, including two dedicated burglary teams who work across the city and county, has led to a 34 per cent drop in burglary reports in the last financial year.
