A BURGLAR who tricked his way into elderly people's homes in Gwent by pretending to be from the water board was jailed for eight years.

Alex Crumlish, 28, of Bonnington Walk, Lockleaze, Bristol, was locked up at Newport crown court after a jury found him guilty of two attempted burglaries and 12 charges of burglary.

They cleared him of three charges of burglary.

The majority of the victims were in their eighties and nineties and one, Bob Bishop, died while dialling 999.

Sentencing Crumlish yesterday, Judge Philip Richards said preying on the elderly and vulnerable was "despicable".

"I hope if you live to an old age nothing like this would happen to you," he said.

"You would not wish what happened to these old people on your worst enemy.

"What you did was despicable."

During the trial, the court heard Crumlish knocked on the doors of pensioners' homes and "turned on the charm".

He told them he had been working in the house next door and had caused a flood there.

He would then tell his victim to keep pressure on taps - while unknown to them an accomplice was already raiding their home, and jewellery and cash would be taken.

Sue Ferrier, prosecuting, maintained the ploy was typical of Crumlish, who carried out the crimes during May and June 2003 in areas including Ebbw Vale, Abertillery, Swffryd, Newport, and the west of England. Detective Inspector Mark Sutton claimed the result was "a real coup for Gwent Police".

He said: "This is a significant achievement for us in relation to the investigation of distraction burglaries.

"These offences were committed against the elderly - some of the most vulnerable people in society - and my sympathy is with the victims and their families.

"I hope this sentence is of some comfort to them." Crumlish was arrested as part of Operation Scupper, a distraction burglary initiative launched early last year.

The Ebbw Vale-based DI said: "He was part of a very well-organised crime group in which he was a main player.

"This is quite a hefty sentence considering he had no previous convictions, and we hope it will be a deterrent to others."

No other members of Crumlish's gang were charged, and DI Sutton said: "I'm convinced we have put the main player behind bars."