Advertisement

Carer caught on camera letting herself into elderly patient's flat in the middle of the night to steal money

Watch: Carer caught on camera letting herself into former patient's home

This shocking video shows the moment a carer was caught on CCTV rifling through the pockets of a former patient's coat after breaking into his home in the middle of the night.

The 91-year-old's family had cameras fitted after noticing that money was going missing, often overnight.

The cameras caught Claudia-Simona Groza sneaking into the flat in Ruddington, Nottingham, while the elderly man was asleep.

The footage, taken at 2am on 16 July, shows her rifle through one of his coat pockets before leaving, apparently empty-handed.

CCTV showed someone letting themselves into the man's flat in Ruddington, Nottingham, in the middle of the night. (SWNS)
CCTV showed someone letting themselves into the man's flat in Ruddington, Nottingham, in the middle of the night. (SWNS)

Relatives alerted police and they worked out that the intruder had accessed the flat with a key kept in a key safe outside - of which only a handful of people knew the code.

Groza, 48, of Clifton, Nottingham, was arrested a few days later and charged with burglary.

Read more: Dramatic photos show extent of damage as 20ft-long sinkhole opens up in Liverpool

She pleaded guilty to the offence at Nottingham Magistrates' Court and will be sentenced at the city's crown court on 11 August.

The victim's daughter said: "As a family, we were aware of money going missing over the period of a few months."

Groza, of Stanesby Rise, Clifton, admitted burgling her former patient's home in Sheepfold Lane, Ruddington, at around 2am on 16 July. (SWNS)
Groza, of Stanesby Rise, Clifton, admitted burgling her former patient's home in Sheepfold Lane, Ruddington, at around 2am on 16 July. (SWNS)

She added: "This was very upsetting for us all. It appeared someone was entering the property during the night.

"We installed cameras and were distressed but pleased that we were able to catch the person in the act.

"We will continue to support dad through this, he's been very uneasy since it happened and we try not to mention it in front of him. We thank the police for their prompt response and arrest."

Initially, social Services installed motion detectors that revealed irregular night-time activity which coincided with money going missing and so installed CCTV which eventually caught Groza.

Detective Constable Liam O'Kane, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Carers are a lifeline for many vulnerable people across the county, particularly over the last 16 months during the coronavirus pandemic when families haven't been able to visit as often as they normally might.

"Most carers are a vital support network for families and incidents like this are incredibly rare.

"Groza was in a position of trust and was supposed to be looking after her victim but instead she burgled his house for her own personal gain.

"We take reports of burglary very seriously and will always carry out a robust investigation.

"This has led to Groza quickly admitting the offence due to the strength of the evidence against her.

"I hope the victim and his family can find some comfort from this. They have rightly been left shaken by the incident and we have been working with them to ensure they get the support they need."

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK News