Oldbury pensioners lose £12,000 in raid on house (From Halesowen News)

Oldbury pensioners lose £12,000 in raid on house

10:45am Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

A BURGLAR, who preyed on the elderly, stole £12,000 savings from the home of an Oldbury couple, both aged 78, a court heard.

Christopher McGuire and two other men used a crow bar to break into the house in Oldbury Road while the pensioners were out.

But police who were looking for a car used in earlier distraction burglaries stopped their vehicle nearby and found £9,700 of the stolen cash.

Howard Searle, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court, McGuire, aged 32, had been on the run for 20 months after raids on four other properties.

He said two men arrested in Oldbury were later jailed for four years eight months and three and a half years for their part in the crimes but McGuire had fled on foot.

McGuire, of Lindfield Drive, Bolton, admitted five burglaries and he was jailed for five years by Judge John Warner who told him: "You preyed on old people which was a despicable thing to do. You cannot expect any mercy from the courts."