A brazen thief barged into her 79-year-old neighbour’s Aberdeen flat and stole her TV and a money box.
Julie Hayworth, 28, pushed past her downstairs neighbour, who has since turned 80, as she stood at her front door for some fresh air on Sunday.
She then proceeded to demand cash and rifle and rummage her way through the flat before marching away with her telly.
But police officers kindly helped the panicked pensioner set up another television.
Depute Fiscal Susan Love told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “At 9.30am that day the woman was alone. She went to her front door to check the weather and get some fresh air.
“As she stood at the front door Hayworth approached the door and pushed past her and let herself into the woman’s property.
“Hayworth closed the door behind her.”
Ms Love said Hayworth said she needed money and repeatedly asked the woman to give her money but she refused.
The depute fiscal said: “Ms Hayworth at this time moved into the hallway before making her way to the kitchen where she began to rifle through cupboards and tins.”
She then did the same in the living room. Hayworth found the woman’s purse and a jewellery box but did not take anything.
Ms Love said: “The accused then returned to the living room and told the woman she would take her television.
“The woman told her she could not take it at which point she said to give her money instead.”
The pensioner again refused. Ms Love said: “She unplugged the TV and thereafter left the locus with it, a Nokia mobile phone and a money box in the shape of a monkey containing £40 or so in coins.”
Police were contacted at 10.15am and even helped the woman set up another television before they later executed a search warrant at Hayworth’s flat and recovered the original set.
Hayworth, of Ash-Hill Place, Aberdeen, pled guilty to stealing a TV, mobile and money box and contents from the woman.
She also admitted breaching a curfew.
Defence agent Chris Maitland said his client was a vulnerable person and had a learning disability.
Sheriff Christine McCrossan deferred sentence until May for reports and remanded her in custody.
Following the court case, Inspector Graeme Smith, of the Mastrick Community Policing Team, praised officers for going above and beyond the call of duty in staying with Hayworth’s victim and helping her set up another TV.
He said: “It is comforting to know my team will, on occasions like this, recognise the need to spend more time with a victim of crime to provide reassurance and assist in a small gesture of setting up a TV in the interim period her main TV was taken.
“We prioritised the need to secure a warrant and recover the property, leaving the family who were on hand to set the TV back up.”
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