A PROLIFIC thief who targeted elderly and vulnerable people has been found guilty of stealing a pensioner's purse.

Michaela Pease, the subject of an interim criminal antisocial behaviour order (Crasbo) for similar offences, failed to appear at Teesside Magistrates' Court for her trial and was convicted in her absence.

Her latest victim, 72-year-old Pauline Jones, sobbed in relief as District Judge Roger Elsey passed his verdict yesterday.

The court heard that 32-year-old Pease, of Warwick Street, Middlesbrough, had followed Mrs Jones around Stockton's Au Naturelle store, in January last year, before distracting her and stealing her purse, which was a present from her late husband.

Mrs Jones and a senior sales assistant from a nearby shop picked Pease out of an identity parade nearly a year after the offence was committed

The victim told the hearing: "I had gone into the shop to look for photo frames for my two grandchildren to put pictures of their grandfather in, who had died six months earlier.

"There was a girl who was standing so close to me that I felt uncomfortable. I realised something was seriously wrong when I later tried to pay for something and realised my purse had been stolen."

The purse contained Mrs Jones' pension, a St Christopher's medal that a friend had brought back from Lourdes, along with various bank and store cards.

The court heard Pease is a well-known face among security staff and the police across Teesside. As part of her Crasbo, she is barred from every charity shop in the region.

In mitigation, Neil Douglas, said there were no eye witnesses to the alleged theft and his client had been arrested on her previous history.

Passing his verdict, Judge Elsey said: "The defendant's previous convictions, in their details, establish she is sufficiently skilful as a thief of purses to remove Mrs Jones' without her knowledge."

He issued a warrant for her arrest.