Former care home worker admits targeting elderly in Perthshire crime spree.

Man targeted vulnerable in bid to fund drug habit, court told

A man targeted dementia sufferers and housebound care home residents during a “crime spree against the elderly”.

Tomasz Lacki picked on vulnerable elderly people to rob during a monthlong spree in a bid to fund his drug habit.

The former care worker was remanded in custody yesterday after he admitted seven bids to rob the elderly across Perthshire.

Sentence was deferred on Lacki after he admitted using his knowledge of the area’s care homes and sheltered housing to target victims aged from 74-90.

Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney said: “The charges the accused has pled guilty to all relate to elderly persons. It can best be summed up as a crime spree against the elderly.

“Several of the complainers had dementia and some had limited mobility and some of them were in their 90s. The ages range from 74 to early 90s.

“It can be said this might have been a confusing experience for the complainers.

“It displays

aparticular course of conduct where he is targeting vulnerable people in care homes and that type of accommodation.”

Lacki, 35, of Murrayfield Loan, Crieff, was described in court as a danger to vulnerable pensioners across Scotland.

He originally faced 13 charges, but admitted seven offences of either theft or being in a home with the intention of committing theft.

The court heard Lacki was a selfconfessed heroin addict who had been carrying out the crimes in a bid to fund his habit.

Solicitor Billy Somerville, defending, told the court Lacki had lived and worked in the UK for five years and had not been convicted of any crimes during that period.

Mr Somerville asked for bail and said: “His brother and mother also live here and there is no suggestion he is a flight risk.”

Sheriff Keith O’Mahoney rejected the bail application and said: “Given the nature and number of offences you have pled guilty to, bail is refused.”

Lacki 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.

Several of the complainers had dementia and some had limited mobility. DEPUTE FISCAL MICHAEL SWEENEY