A "cunning" purse snatcher who regularly targeted vulnerable elderly women has been jailed for five years.
Bernard Mangan (30), who has used 37 different aliases, has previously served lengthy jail sentences for sneak thieving in various parts of the country.
He appeared at Leicester Crown Court to admit two offences of purse thefts from elderly women at the Co-op store, Sturdee Road, Eyres Monsell, on March 13 and 15.
The first involved a 77-year-old, who told him off for spitting outside the shop.
While talking to her he took her purse, containing £100, a driving licence and scratch cards.
The second victim, aged 82, was approached by Mangan inside the same store.
He asked her to show him where the "cheap meat" was and, as she stooped down to get something from a bottom shelf, he deftly took her purse containing £80 and her pension card.
"She was shocked and upset and is now wary when she goes out," said Neil Bannister, prosecuting.
The first victim wept with relief when told Mangan, pictured, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing, because of "worry and anxiety" about giving evidence in court if the case went to trial.
Sentencing, Judge Robert Brown said: "You're a cunning and skilful thief and deliberately targeted these victims because they were elderly. They were vulnerable and completely unsuspecting.
"You've an extremely bad record, including offences exactly like this.
"You've learnt nothing from your previous sentences.
"You've a high risk of causing harm to the public, particularly elderly women shoppers, who need protecting.
"A deterrent sentence must follow."
Mangan, of no fixed address, has 84 offences on his record, of which 37 are theft-related.
In 2001, he was given eight months' detention for a series of thefts from women in their 70s and 80s.
In 2006, he was jailed for 32 months for 10 similar offences in Somerset and Bristol.
In 2012, he was jailed for 45 months for stealing five pensioners' purses in Hampshire and Nottingham.
He was released on licence from that sentence on January 16.
Imran Khan, mitigating, said: "He's been receiving custodial sentences for the past 10 years for matters of a similar nature.
"What's different is he's no longer addicted to class A drugs.
"He was staying in Leicester with his brother and the reason for his offending was he needed money for a train ticket to London because he had been offered accommodation there."
