Drug addict robbed pensioner

A drug addict who left a 75-yearold woman terrified after stealing her purse at a Fife shopping centre has been jailed.

Michael Burza appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Monday after he pled guilty to the theft at a previous hearing.

The 33-year-old was handed a two-year sentence reduced from three for his early guilty plea.

As Burza was lead from the dock, he issued an apology to Sheriff James Williamson and said: “I’m very sorry for what I did. It’ll never happen again boss.”

Burza targeted his victim on March 12 at the Kingdom Shopping Centre in Glenrothes.

He approached his victim from behind as she went down a set of stairs and grabbed the purse out of her left hand. The court was previously told how the pensioner believed she would be “dragged down the stairs” if she did not release her purse which contained just £5 and loose change.

The police were called and took a statement from the shaken woman.

Burza was spotted on CCTV a short time later and apprehended by officers who described him as becoming “extremely nervous and agitated” when approached.

The stolen £5 note was recovered after the constables carried out a search and Burza told them: “You have the evidence in your hands.”

He then told them that the stolen purse had been dumped in a bin.