'Abused her power': Detective's warning after Shrewsbury carer stole £1,000 from 'vulnerable' pensioner she cared for
A carer from Shrewsbury who burgled a pensioner she looked after and stole more than £1,000 of his money “abused her power”, a detective has said.
Mother-of-three Linda Wigley snuck into the victim’s home when she was off duty and stole his bank card, before withdrawing wads of cash over four days.
The victim was an 88-year-old man who lived in Shrewsbury, where there are several pensioners living in retirement properties. He received visits from carers four times a day.
Wigley, of Shrewsbury, was spotted by a neighbour and identified on Ring doorbell footage. She worked for Affinity Home Care.
The 36-year-old was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £200 in compensation to the victim.
Detective Constable Daniel Bushell, from Shropshire’s protect vulnerable people team, said: “Wigley abused her power, as well as the trust placed on her as a carer looking after those most vulnerable in the community, and was a thought out deliberate act to target and take advantage of an innocent man.
“I am thankful for the neighbour who contacted police as soon as they became suspicious of her movements, which allowed us to act quickly before more offending could take place.
“We are pleased with the sentence that has been given to Wigley. I hope it sends a clear message to those who would abuse their trust and target the vulnerable, that we will act quickly and decisively to protect those who can’t protect themselves.”
If you believe you are a victim of fraud, or know someone who you think may be, you can report it online at https://www.westmercia.police.uk/ro/report/fo/v2/report-fraud-bribery-corruption/
