• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

  • News
  • Things to do
  • Radio
  • More
    • Food & drink
    • Business
  • About
    • Comments
    • Advertise
    • Contact us
  • Radio
  • WIN
  • Vouchers
  • Choice Awards
  • Listen live »
Selby Residents' Festival

Teenager stole £1,000 from elderly woman after targeting her at York bank

Eleonara Hristova
Tue 31 Jan, 2023 @ 5.09 pm Crime, News YorkMix

A teenager has been jailed for snatching £1,000 from an elderly woman’s handbag in York city centre.

Eleonara Hristova, 19, swiped the cash and a phone from her victim outside St Sampson’s Centre, the social hub for the over-60s on Church Street.

It’s understood the elderly victim had drawn the money out to pay bills for Christmas.

Cycle Heaven York
Cycle Heaven York
Cycle Heaven York
Advertisement

Hristova – who was living in Hull at the time but currently has a registered address in London – admitted theft and appeared for sentence at York Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday).

At around midday on Friday, 18 November, Hristova spotted her victim at a bank in York city centre, the court was told.

She watched the woman take out a substantial amount of cash from her bank account, place it in her purse and then put her purse into her shopper trolley bag.

Hristova followed her victim through the city centre to the St Sampson’s Centre, where she was planning to have lunch.

When the woman momentarily left her shopping bag unattended, Hristova pounced. She took the purse along with the victim’s phone and keys.

Police were called and thanks to the CCTV footage which captured the incident, Hristova was identified and arrested a few days later.

When questioned she admitted she had stolen the items and had used about £60 of the money to buy clothes and food and spent the rest on ‘going out’ and rent.

Nomadic lifestyle

The St Sampson’s Centre on Church Street, York. Photograph © Google Street View

Harry Bayman, for Hristova, said the teenager had no income and had never been in trouble before.   

Graham Parkin, who represented Hristova at a previous hearing, said she didn’t have any accommodation or “means of support” at the time.

She had been living a nomadic lifestyle taking her from London to Hull and York, where she had been “looking for work” after travelling from her home country of Bulgaria to the UK by van or minibus.

It was believed that she now lived with her mother in London and had been supporting herself through “casual work”.

Hristova had been remanded in custody in November last year because she had no fixed abode, but she gave her latest address as Lymington Avenue, London.

Deputy district judge Mr Spencer said Hristova had stolen “a lot of money” from an elderly woman and the offence was so serious it warranted a jail sentence.

He jailed the teenager for 12 weeks and ordered her to pay £154 to fund victim services.

‘Shaken and upset’

York Crown Court. Photograph: YorkMix

PC Bradley Bailey who ran the investigation said: “This was a blatant case of a thief targeting a vulnerable elderly person for their own material gain.

“Hristova’s actions left the victim shaken and upset about the fact she had been targeted in such a way and also fearful that someone might use her keys and enter her home.

“Officers took the victim home and ensured that her locks were changed and that she was left feeling secure in her own home.

“To Hristova, it was a case of wanting the cash and taking the cash, with absolutely no thought about the effects on the victim.

“North Yorkshire Police will not tolerate criminals targeting vulnerable victims and we will take every opportunity to bring those who do to justice.”

Trending

  1. Britain’s best places to live have been announced – and include this brilliant North Yorkshire town
  2. York woman dubbed ‘Britain’s most wanted’ has jail time doubled
  3. Police searching for missing man find body in North Yorkshire

Tue 31 Jan, 2023

Footer

YorkMix
News 01904 848 766
Email YorkMix news »
5-6 King's Court, Shambles, York  YO1 7LD
YorkMix Radio
General enquiries 01904 375 029
Studio/competitions 01904 375 030
Email YorkMix Radio »
Selby Superbowl, Bawtry Road, Selby  YO8 8NA
YorkMix is a trading name of YorkMix Media Ltd
Registered in England
Company number: 07814727
VAT number: 154 0364 34
© York Sound Ltd

Copyright © 2023 YorkMix Media Ltd

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT