Distraction Burglar Caught Pretending to be Council Official to Target the Elderly
A 46-year-old man from Bristol has been jailed for over five years after admitting to multiple distraction burglaries and criminal damage. Michael Roman, also known as Michael Lawrence or Michael Pearson, forced his way into elderly residents’ homes by pretending to be from the council or water board.
How the Burglar Gained Entry
Roman struck on 6 November 2017, targeting homes in Parklands, Malmesbury, and locations in swindon/" title="Swindon" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Swindon including Oaksey Road and Pinnocks Place. He told residents he needed to check their piping on behalf of the council or water board. Using this ruse, he pushed his way inside and searched the properties.
Though he didn’t steal anything initially, Roman returned the next day to Westbury’s The Crescent. There, he caused damage by ripping an internal CCTV camera from the wall.
Victims Left Shaken and Vulnerable
Local crime investigator Ashton Schorah condemned Roman’s tactics. “In all four incidents, elderly residents were targeted in their own homes. Roman’s lies robbed these vulnerable people of their sense of safety.”
Roman even forced one elderly lady into her living room and only left once she became visibly upset. CCTV footage showed him covering his hands when touching door handles, trying to avoid police identification.
Warning to the Public
“I am satisfied with today’s sentence,” said Schorah. “We urge people to remind elderly relatives and vulnerable neighbours not to open doors to anyone without official ID or an appointment. Council or water board workers never cold call and will always show identification.”
“Our Community Tasking Team will continue to crack down on this type of crime and put offenders behind bars,” he added.
