Barbara Osmanovic was jailed for 30 months
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A woman stole purses from vulnerable and disabled people in a ‘mean’ campaign to get cash. Barbara Osmanovic, 36, was spotted by both of the victims, either approaching them or lingering nearby.
However, after she had left them alone, they noticed their purses were gone, along with other sentimental items. She went on to make multiple withdrawals and transactions on their cards.
At Manchester Crown Court, Osmanovic, of Old Trafford, was jailed yesterday (Tuesday) for offences of theft, fraud, and separate offences of attempted burglary and possession of a knife.
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Prosecutor John Richards said on September 13 last year, a woman, who uses a mobility scooter, left her home to go shopping in Eccles town centre. Whilst she was in Morrisons she was approached by Osmanovic who asked if she wanted to ‘smoke bacon’.
“She said no, but later noticed her purse had been taken from her bag,” he said.
“The security staff checked the CCTV cameras which showed the defendant bend down and take the purse. A number of bank cards were stolen, along with a photo of her parents and a piece of paper with her PIN number on it.”
Within 45 mins there were a number of withdrawals and transactions from the woman’s accounts. In total £1,640 was stolen from the woman.
In a statement, she said it was ‘really upsetting’ and blamed herself for leaving the PIN number in her purse. She said she no longer takes her bank card out with her and finds it hard to trust people.
Days later another woman, who is of retirement age, was shopping in the Marks and Spencer’s food hall in Manchester city centre. She noticed Osmanovic ‘lingering’ around her before she later noticed that her purse had also been stolen.
Also taken was a St Christopher medal belonging to her mum and a picture of her grandchildren. She managed to cancel her bank card, but a number of withdrawals had already been made on her credit card.
“The Crown say she was deliberately targeting victims of vulnerability,” the prosecutor said.
The court was told of a separate incident, in which Osmanovic was spotted attempting to break into a woman’s house. As she returned home from work with her sister, two men who were stood on the opposite side of the road shouted something to Osmanovic before running off, but she was stopped by the women.
Later, on June 21, police spotted a car parked in a Premier Inn that was linked to a crime on the PNC system. Osmanovic was asleep in the car, and upon asking her what she was doing, they discovered that she had a small Stanley knife.
Osmanovic was said to have 13 previous convictions for 29 offences, mostly for theft and handling stolen goods.
Dan Gaskell, mitigating, said his client had a ‘sorry history of offending’ and that the ‘meanest’ offences of theft and fraud were characterised by her dependency on class A drugs.
“They are disturbing and dispiriting when looked at in the cold light of day. She understands the seriousness of her situation,” he said.
Mr Gaskell added that she became addicted to heroin and cocaine following the death of her brother and said she realised she ‘needs to change’.
Sentencing, Recorder Imran Shafi KC said the first victim was ‘targeted’ by Osmanovic, making the offence ‘incredibly mean’.
“You have been sentenced in the community before and that did not work, you continued to offend. There is no reason to suspend the inevitable custodial sentence,” he said.
Osmanovic, of Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, was jailed for 30 months.
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