A carer was caught stealing money from an elderly woman, aged in her 90s, after the victim's son installed a secret camera inside a smoke alarm. 

Deborah Carrigan, 43, of Selhurst Road, South Norwood, was handed a three-month suspended jail term for repeatedly taking cash from the woman's purse while visiting her home in Shirley.

The victim's son noticed in August last year money had gone missing and, suspecting that a carer or cleaner had stolen the cash, concealed the camera in a dummy smoke-alarm in his mother's kitchen.

Over the next two weeks the camera caught a carer, identified by her agency as Carrigan, stealing money on four occasions. 

After being arrested on August 23, she claimed her victim had given her permission to take money to go shopping. But she was unable to provide any receipt as proof and police found evidence contradicting her claims.

Carrigan was charged on February 27 with four counts of theft by employee and pleaded guilty on August 11. 

She was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Wednesday to three months in prison, suspended for two years, given a 12-month supervision order, told to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.

Trainee Detective Constable Hayley Rodgers, from Croydon police, said: "Carrigan was employed to look after her victim, who was an extremely vulnerable, elderly lady. But instead of looking out for her welfare, she took advantage of her and stole money from her purse. 

"She then tried to make out that the victim had given her permission, but we were able to disprove her account. Carrigan was left with little option than to plead guilty and she will now be unable to work in the care industry again."