A 'DESPICABLE' thief who targeted elderly people as part of an East Lancashire-wide theft and fraud scam has been jailed.

Christopher McKillop, 37, was jailed for 12 months after admitting 12 counts of fraud and four thefts by Recorder John Jones at Burnley Crown Court.

In one case police said he had conned and stolen nearly £3,000 from a vulnerable man in his 80s.

A court heard that on July 29 McKillop, formerly of Padiham and most recently of no fixed address, committed fraud in Burnley by asking a resident for money having claimed his vehicle had run out of petrol.

He ran the same scam on residents in the town on August 5, twice on August 7, twice on August 8 and in Nelson on August 10.

In Nelson on August 12 McKillop stole a £400 smart phone belonging to William Wilson and £30 belonging to Emma Wilson. On August 17 he stole Mr Wilson’s background and pin and between August 15 and August 18 stole £2,500 belonging to him.

On August 16 the crown court heard how McKillop committed fraud in Burnley by using someone else’s bank card to buy £242 of items and in Colne three times on the same day to gain £216.

The court was told McKillop also committed offences in Blackburn in that on July 28 he stole £70 belonging to Michael Smith and on September 1 he committed fraud by falsely claiming he had stone flags for sale.

Speaking after the case PC Rachael Carroll said: “The majority of offences were obtaining money off elderly people after saying his car had run out of petrol and one was a theft/fraud against an elderly vulnerable man in his 80s totalling nearly £3,000.”

A police spokesman said: “This kind of offending is nasty and despicable and we will always work to catch and prosecute anyone who engages in it.

“Some of McKillop’s victims were elderly and vulnerable and I hope the sentencing reflects the seriousness of the crime.”

Police had put an appeal out to find McKillop and he was found in Redcar in the North East.