Bungling burgler who conned pensioners out of hundreds of pounds snared by police after leaving his DNA on a tea cup
Conman posed as a window cleaner to get access to victim's homes
A BUNGLING burglar who tricked pensioners out of hundreds of pounds was captured by cops after leaving his DNA on a tea cup.
Conman David Langford posed as a window cleaner to gain access to victims' homes in the Stechford and Yardley areas of Birmingham.
He committed a string of offences in August and September this year before he slipped up and sipped from a drink given to him by one of his targets.
While cleaning a 93-year-old's windows, 41-year-old Langford, of Stechford, accepted a mug of water and left his DNA on the cup.
West Midlands Police officers used it to track him down and linked him to other offences, which he admitted in an interview.
related stories
He was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four burglaries at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.
Detective Constable Tom Lyons, from Stechford Investigation Team, said: "Langford tricked his way into the homes of vulnerable, elderly people.
“He preyed on the trust of these women and I have no doubt would have struck again if he hadn't been caught by officers.
"We will use all the techniques we have at our disposal to catch criminals, including DNA which enabled us to link Langford in this case.
"I would encourage everyone - particularly the elderly and vulnerable - to be on their guard if someone calls unexpectedly at your door."
Langford's victims were aged 85, 95, 92 and 93. He stole a total of £360, including £200 from his final victim.
He had previous convictions for burglary and deception when he pretended to be a window cleaner in 2002.
Earlier this week Sun Online reported that an elderly woman had drained her ex-husband’s retirement of £40,000 after being targeted by a heartless social media scammer, leaving a devastating impact on the family.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368