House burglar crept around disabled 88-year-old Leeds pensioner as he slept in wheelchair

A drug addicted burglar was caught on CCTV creeping around a disabled 88-year-old Leeds man's front room as he slept in his wheelchair.
Tomas MizicarTomas Mizicar
Tomas Mizicar

Father-of-two Tomas Mizicar climbed over a disability access ramp blocking the open front door at the vulnerable pensioner's home in Harehills before searching the front room, where the elderly man was sleeping.

Mizicar, 24, crept around the pensioner as he checked cupboards for items to steal during the burglary just after 6.30pm on August 27.

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He took £25 from a wallet, the only cash in the house.

As the pensioner woke Mizicar knocked on the front door and pretended he had just arrived and asked the OAP if he wanted to buy aftershave or perfume.

Louise Gallagher, prosecuting, said the pensioner had been targeted in a similar way on July 10.

The victim's son had installed CCTV in the house and Mizicar was caught on camera burgling the OAP's home.

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The pensioner had left the door open with the access ramp raised because it was a warm day.

Mizicar left after he was confronted by a neighbour's brother and children in the street.

Miss Gallagher said on May 17 2016 Mizicar snatched a staff tips jar containing around £60 from the counter at the Cha Lounge cafe in Leeds.

He was caught on CCTV committing that offence and later identified by a police officer.

Mizicar, of no fixed abode, admitted burglary and theft.

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He has 11 previous convictions for 22 offences, including theft and burglary.

Jade Edwards, mitigating, said Mizicar's previous offending was all committed when he was 18 and 19, adding: "It was down to drugs. He fell into the wrong crowd and started using crack cocaine and heroin."

Miss Edwards said Mizicar could not get his methadone before he burgled the pensioner's home.

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She said: "He intended to sell aftershave but when he was there he was rattling and desperate and he saw an opportunity and took it.

"He feels sorry for what he did and he wouldn't have done it had the medication been there."

Jailing Mizicar for three years, Judge Robin Mairs told him: "This was despicable and mean, targeting one of the most vulnerable members of our society."