A BURGLAR who targeted the elderly and broke into their houses at night taking cash and jewellery has been jailed for seven and a half years.

Steven Tracy Lock, 53, of Moreton-on-Lugg, near Hereford, appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Monday (September 28) for sentencing after pleading guilty to four counts of burglary of a dwelling and one count of burglary of a non-dwelling.

The offences took place across Herefordshire and Monmouthshire between September 2019 and April 2020.

Detective Constable Laurence James, from Hereford proactive CID, said: “Lock targeted vulnerable, elderly women and men aged in their 70s to 90s, breaking into their homes in the middle of the night and taking cash, jewellery and/or power tools from them. 

"He also broke into a shop and took cash out of the till.

“We will not tolerate burglaries in our community and hope this sentence sends a message to offenders that we will take robust action against those found to be committing crimes of this nature.

“I welcome today’s sentence and hope the victims in this case feel that justice has been served.”