A one man crime wave who terrorised elderly and vulnerable people in Crewe was sentenced to six years imprisonment last week.
Oliver Boswell, 34, from Northwich and Middlewich was charged with eight burglaries and two attempt thefts with violence in the Crewe area. At an earlier hearing he pleaded guilty and on Friday 6 January 2012 he was sentenced.
Police in Crewe stepped up patrols last year as it began to emerge that pensioners were being targeted in their own home by a man pretending to be from the waterboard. He would try to gain entry to their homes, and once inside, would either demand cash or distract his victim to take cash.
Det Insp Nigel Groom said: "We were very concerned about the increase in burglaries targeting vulnerable people in the Crewe area, in particular the two incidents where the offender showed violence towards the victims. Detectives from my burglary unit worked tirelessly alongside Neighbourhood policing officers to track down the man who carried out these despicable crimes."
Officers tracked Boswell down and arrested him on 31 July. He was charged and remanded two days later.
Boswell was charged with 10 offences including one at Tennyson Avenue on 27 July 2011, where he tricked his way into the home of an 83-year-old woman. She suffered a minor cut to her foot when he pushed past her and demanded cash.
He was also charged with forcing his way into the Claughton Avenue home of a 78-year-old woman on Monday 25 July 2011. At the time he again claimed to be from the water board, forced his way into the house and pushed his victim into a wall before stealing her handbag.
DI Groom said: "Although no one has been seriously physically injured during these burglaries, all the victims had understandably been deeply affected and traumatised by what had happened to them. While we cannot turn back the clock so they didn′t have to experience such a shocking incident, we can take satisfaction in the fact Boswell is getting what he deserves for preying on the elderly and the vulnerable."
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