A former care worker terrorised a string of elderly Perthshire residents by sneaking into their homes in broad daylight, in a crime spree branded “despicable” by a Sheriff.
Tomasz Lacki targeted victims between the age of 74 and 91, some of whom had dementia or mobility issues, to fund a drug habit.
Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney told Perth Sheriff Court some of the 35-year-old’s victims came face to face with the heroin addict as he invaded their homes.
Addressing some of the charges, he said: “One complainer is 90. At 5.30pm she saw the accused in her property but didn’t recognise him but he appeared to have a bag of her medication, which she took from him.
“The next complainer is 91. At 9pm she heard the sound of the front door being closed and could see an individual was at the door and was slowly turning the handle to return it to a closed position. She called out and the accused replied that he was looking for a Mrs Burns, before leaving the complex.
“Another complainer is 81. She was in her property alone at 4pm. She went to the toilet and when she returned she saw the accused standing in her living room doorway.
“She asked him to leave and he said he was looking for someone. She then went into the living room and saw her purse had been stolen.
“Some time later she heard the doorbell ring and her purse was returned on the doorstep. Her bank cards were there but there was also £150 that had been inside that was missing.”
Solicitor Billy Somerville, defending, said Lacki had problems with heroin.
He said: “He accepts responsibility. There wasn’t any level of planning but there was a course of conduct.
“He expresses remorse and recognises the impact on the victims.”
Sheriff William Wood blasted Lacki, saying: “This court is very troubled by the nature and number of these offences. Although he suggested there was no planning it seems rather more than chance that the addresses you targeted had someone who was elderly, infirm, or both.
“This behaviour is despicable.”
Lacki, of Murrayfield Loan, Crieff, originally faced 13 charges, but admitted seven offences of either theft or being in a home with the intention of committing theft.
He admitted being in two properties in Crieff, with intent to commit theft on August 31.
He also admitted stealing a wallet from an address Perth, on September 11, and trying to steal from another address in the same street on the same day.
He further admitted trying to steal from homes at two addresses in Perth on September 23.
Two days later he stole a purse and its contents from an address in Crieff.
Sheriff Wood jailed him for eight months.
