Spy Camera Catches Care Worker Stealing From OAP

Shocking footage exposes a care worker as a callous thief stealing money from a vulnerable 80-year-old woman. Cruel Amanda Morgan was caught by a £30 spy camera hidden in pensioner Theresa Fettes’ sitting room. The sting was organised by the OAP’s daughter, Irene Thomson, after her mother accused HER of taking cash.

Morgan, 33, of Dundee, was filmed pocketing £100 – but Theresa’s family believe she took thousands from the frail widow over a few years. The video footage shows her pulling a bewildered Theresa – who cannot walk unaided – to her feet and dragging her to the bathroom. She then scuttles back to the sitting roomand scours it for cash. The calculating thief is clearly seen putting on surgical gloves to avoid leaving any fingerprints. She picks up Theresa’s handbag and roots around inside – before throwing it away in disgust when she finds it empty.

Morgan then rakes down the sides of the OAP’s chair, pulling the seat and cushions off in a desperate bid to find cash. She starts to panic when there isn’t any money there either and races over to the sideboard, while baffled Theresa is calling her to help her back to her chair. Realising she is running out of time to cash in, Morgan rummages frantically in the drawers of the unit – where she eventually finds £100.

But the crook did not know that Irene, also of Dundee, had planted the cash and taken a note of the serial numbers. The evidence led to her conviction for theft.

Last night, Irene said: “The experience caused mum to suspect and accuse family members and has left her distrustful, bitter and ill. She was hospitalised because the situation exacerbated her angina. Who would have thought a person in a position of trust and duty to vulnerable people would even contemplate such despicable deeds? I doubt anything can restore mum’s health, state of mind or faith in human nature.”

Irene was heartbroken when her mum first suspected she was behind the thefts. They had a string of arguments and fell out last year. Irene said: “Mum first came to me about two years ago and said money had gone missing from a bum-bag. We searched the house for it – thinking she must have misplaced it or forgotten where she had put it – but we couldn’t find it.

“Then there were further incidents, usually on pension day, when mum would say money was disappearing. I went on holiday last year and when I came back my daughter told me mum had said it could only be me taking her money because it was only myself and her three carers going into the house. It caused a terrible row and mum and I didn’t speak for a long time. I didn’t want to go into the house because I didn’t want to be accused of stealing.”

Irene stopped going to visit her mum – but cash kept disappearing. The police could not help, so the family turned detective and installed the camera in August. Irene said: “My husband Bob bought a camera for £30 from a DIY store and rigged it up in mum’s living room above the door, facing where she sits.

“£100 had gone missing the day before but the camera didn’t work that day. The next day mum said Amanda had been and the money in the drawer was gone. You can imagine our shock when we watched the video.”

Dundee Sheriff Court heard how between August 23 and October 6, auxiliary nurse Morgan stole £100 from Theresa’s home in the city and that sums of money had gone missing over a long period of time. She was fined, sacked by Dundee City Council and banned from being a carer.

But Irene is furious that Morgan – who has also now been charged with a separate theft – was ordered to pay just £250. The court was told Morgan had “suffered greatly as a result of personal problems and depression”. Her solicitor claimed the thefts were “akin to self harming” – a view backed by a psychiatrist.

Sheriff Grant McCulloch told Morgan that a crime like hers would normally be treated differently – but a fine would be sufficient because of her circumstances.

Irene has now written to the procurator fiscal in protest. She said: “The justice system let mum down badly. Consideration has been given to Morgan’s great personal difficulties but what about the anguish and distress the past two years have caused within my family? “Not only has my mother been robbed of a far greater monetary loss than captured but she has also had stolen from her years of a close, loving, family relationship. She is also now permanently anxious, withdrawn, cynical and a virtual recluse who has no confidence or pride in herself. “Where is the consideration for her?”