The con artist who went on a 10-day crime spree in Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens because 'her job was too hard'

A young 'professional thief' and her accomplice stole cash and mobile phones by distracting shoppers and claiming they were raising money for charity, a court heard.

Maria Spirache, 20, played her part in the 'despicable' offences committed with another woman over 10 days in Manchester city centre.

The court was told how Spirache earlier 'had a job but it was too hard so gave it up'.

The pair prowled cafes, restaurants and shops fleecing customers.

They preyed on vulnerable victims, including a man on a mobility scooter shopping, and tried to steal a watch from the wrist of an 88-year-old woman.

Another victim was a student who was depositing nearly £9,000 in a bank, after saving up the money for months by working two part time jobs to fund his university education.

The pair used well-rehearsed tactics to distract their prey, including showing clipboards claiming they were from a charity and blocking the view of people trying to withdraw money from ATMs.

Spirache's defence team said the other woman played 'a lead role' in the crimes.

But sentencing, Judge Hilary Manley told Spirache: "These thefts were planned, organised and despicable offences.

"Together the two of you preyed upon members of the public who were simply enjoying a meal or a cup of coffee, or who were otherwise going about their business.

"You used practised distraction techniques in cafes, food outlets, supermarkets, banks and cashpoints."

Talking about the student, the judge added: "He worked hard for that money.

"It's in stark contrast to what you told the author of the pre-sentence report, that you had a job but it was too hard so you gave it up."

Spirache pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft, two counts of attempted theft, one count of theft from a shop and another bail act offence.

She was convicted in her absence of another count of theft.

Spirache, of Abbey Hills Road, Oldham, was sentenced to 32 months in a young offenders institution during a hearing on Tuesday at Manchester Crown Court.

The other woman has not been caught. The pair first struck at Costa Coffee on Market Street, on January 21 last year, just after midday.

A woman went to the toilet, and when she returned two women approached her and asked for money to buy food.

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After the women left, the victim realised her mobile phone had been stolen.

The following day, an 88-year-old woman was in Santander bank in Piccadilly Gardens sitting waiting for her husband, who was queuing at the counter.

Two women approached her, and one tried to take off her watch while talking to her. She managed to push the woman away, and they left.

Then on January 23, a woman was in the Arndale Centre with her daughter when she was approached by the two women, who began begging.

They presented an A4 piece of paper, which appeared to be a menu, in order to distract her. Her mobile phone, worth £600, was stolen.

On the same day on Market Street, a man in his 70s was using a cash machine at Barclays. As he used the ATM, two women approached him and placed a document over the keypad, blocking his view.

He pushed the woman away, and took his card.

It wasn't until the day after that he realised that while blocking the keypad, the woman had managed to withdraw £200 and take it without him noticing.

In another offence on the same day, the two women were in McDonald's at Piccadilly Gardens and showed the victim a drinks menu to distract them.

Cash and an ID card were stolen.

A few minutes later, they then targeted a 72-year-old man who was doing a crossword in Costa Coffee on Market Street.

They tried to distract him by putting a piece of paper on the table, before trying to grab his phone. He took it and they fled.

The court heard that he had recently read about distraction thefts in the media, and was aware of what they were doing.

On January 25, again at Costa Coffee on Market Street, a man had his wallet and cash stolen after being distracted by the two women, at about 11.15am.

That afternoon, a student was at HSBC in St Ann's Square, where he had £8,600 to deposit in the bank to pay for tuition fees and accommodation at university.

The women claimed they were collecting money for charity, and one showed him a piece of paper. The other rooted around in his bag, stealing a bundle of cash containing £2,000.

"He worked hard for that money. It's in stark contrast to what you told the author of the pre-sentence report, that you had a job but it was too hard so you gave it up." - Judge Manley

In a statement, the student said he had been working two part time jobs to fund his studies, and that it had taken him months to save up the money.

Then on January 26, a man in a mobility scooter was shopping in Aldi in the Arndale Centre when he was approached by the women.

One of them was carrying a clipboard, and told him she was collecting money for charity.

The kindhearted man handed over £1 and signed a piece of paper, but sometime later he realised £220 had been stolen from him.

He said that his pride had been hurt as a result of being 'conned', and that he felt 'angry' towards the women. That same day, a mobile phone was stolen from a woman in Burger King in Piccadilly Gardens.

A 60-year-old man with health problems, who had a helper with him, was also targeted that day. They showed him paperwork, claiming to be raising money for a children's charity.

He had £300 on him, and handed over £10 for the supposed charity. But they stole the rest of the money while he was distracted.

On January 29, Spirache was caught shoplifting at Boots on the Arndale Centre, with £239 of items in her handbag, which she said she had stolen for her nephew in Romania.

Two days later, on January 31, a woman was in McDonald's in the city centre when she was distracted, and had her mobile phone stolen.

She later said the phone was irreplaceable as it had pictures of her granddaughter on it.

Spirache was not caught until January this year. She had fled to Romania after the thieving spree in January last year.

Defending, Rachel Faux said the other woman played the 'lead role' in the thefts. She said that the time she has spent on remand at HMP Styal has had a 'deterrent effect'.

Spirache is in effective 'solitary confinement' there, Ms Faux said, because she speaks no English and no-one else in the prison speaks Romanian.

Judge Manley added: "This was mean and cynical offending, carried out with no regards for the feelings of others.

"You systematically went from victim to victim to amass as much cash as possible. This was professional thieving."