Man followed elderly people home then robbed them

A man who violently robbed elderly people after following them home, ripping the jewellery from the neck of a 96-year-old woman, has been jailed.

Kiril Mihaylov "systematically preyed" on three people between the ages of 80 and 96 who had been in Manchester city centre, Greater Manchester Police said.

One woman was punched and robbed as she walked down the street, while a man woke up to find Mihaylov in his home in Salford with a large knife.

The 30-year-old, of Hamilton Road, Manchester, was sentenced to eight years for two robbery offences and a residential burglary offence.

Police said the victims valued their days out to the city centre and Mihaylov's actions, over August last year, had left them shaken and questioning their safety.

Manchester Crown Court heard how the 96-year-old woman had been for a coffee with a family member on 1 August when Mihaylov followed her to her home in Little Hulton, Salford, where he ripped her necklace off her.

The victim has since died.

On 26 August, an 82-year-old woman was walking home after she had been shopping and felt a punch to her stomach and was pushed to the ground while Mihaylov grabbed her earrings and necklace.

DNA samples that were taken from the victim's ears and neck came back as a match for Mihaylov, who was declared as a suspect for the two robberies, the court heard.

On 27 August, an 80-year-old man returned to his home in Salford and went upstairs to sleep but when he woke up he noticed his watch was missing from his bedside table.

His patio doors had been smashed and Mihalov stood in his property with a large knife in his hand.

The victim said he then walked slowly and calmly out of the house.

When police seized Mihalov's mobile phone they found pictures of stolen items, a search history of how to sell them and details of sending a stolen Omega watch to family in Bulgaria.

Officers were able to seize the watch in transit and return it to the victim.

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