Adam James Michael Crawford, aged 39 and of Sunderland, was jailed for a spate of offences committed during a period of nine days.
At around 2pm on Sunday, 2 November 2025, Crawford attended a block of flats on Lindsay Road in Poole and told the occupant of one flat that he was doing a sponsored skydive to raise funds for a cancer charity.
The victim, aged in his 70s, said the cause was one close to his heart due to family losses, but he did not have any money. The defendant then took the victim to a nearby cashpoint, where he withdrew £200 and gave it to Crawford.
Two days later the defendant attended the same block and went to another flat. He again claimed to be collecting money for the cancer charity.
The occupants agreed to give him £20 and handed the defendant £60 in cash, which he said he would get changed into smaller denominations and give them change.
However, he failed to return and the victims subsequently found that a Higrace tablet had been stolen from the property.
Crawford was identified as the suspect for these two offences through doorbell camera footage and enquiries were undertaken to locate and arrest him.
While these enquiries were being conducted, on Tuesday, 11 November 2025, a motorist was dropping off some items in the area of Poole Quay and left his vehicle with the keys in the ignition.
The defendant was walking past and got into the vehicle before driving off.
The victim notified police and around 15 minutes later the vehicle was spotted in the Westbourne area of Bournemouth.
Officers subsequently went to stop the vehicle on Princess Road, at which point the defendant drove into the side of one police car and reversed into a second one.
He also collided with a parked car before he was pulled from the vehicle and detained.
The defendant was disqualified from driving until January 2029.
Crawford was arrested and charged with burglary, theft, fraud by false representation, aggravated vehicle taking and driving whilst disqualified. He was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 6 March 2026 to a total of five years and four months in prison.
Detective Constable Jo Regan, of the Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “Adam Crawford targeted two elderly victims before an opportunistic theft of a vehicle, which he drove in a dangerous manner and risked seriously injuring the officers who tried to stop him.
“Thanks to the swift response of officers, we were able to bring him to justice for the motoring offences and our detectives were also able to compile evidence to link him to the burglary and fraud matters.”
