A serial burglar who cruelly targeted the elderly has been locked up after her DNA was discovered on a mug and drink can, linking her to multiple crimes.

Lindsey Melvin, 33, from Granville Road in Bradford, travelled to Haslemere and Langford, Bedfordshire, posing as a door-to-door seller to deceive elderly victims into welcoming her into their homes.

Once inside her victims' homes, she stole wallets, credit cards, and hundreds of pounds in cash.

She pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and theft at Luton Crown Court and was sentenced to 39 months in prison.

On February 6, Melvin travelled to Haslemere and targeted an 86-year-old man. She persuaded him to let her in and, while he made her a drink, she stole his wallet, which contained his cards and about £400 in cash.

On May 23, she stole credit cards and cash from a 79-year-old man in Bedfordshire, using the stolen cards to purchase food and spend £40 on scratch cards.

Police were able to link Melvin to both crimes using CCTV footage and DNA evidence collected from the mug she used in Surrey and a drink can from Bedfordshire, thankfully bringing her door-to-door burglary scam to an end.

Det Con Andy Boston, from Bedfordshire Police’s specialist burglary team, said: "We believe Melvin was travelling to the region from the North and deliberately targeting vulnerable, elderly victims, so it's really pleasing that she's been given this sentence.

"Here in Bedfordshire, we have a specialist team focusing on burglary, and we would always ask people to report suspicious behaviour. All information helps us build a picture and, like here, link cases to get a conviction.”

The police have urged neighbours and relatives to remain vigilant and check in on vulnerable individuals, stressing the importance of community awareness in preventing further crimes.