A skilled pickpocket, whose victims included a 90-year-old man he pretended to help across the road, has been jailed for 12 months.

Drug addict Arkadiusz Ciorun confessed to police that he was “very good” at sneaking cash, purses and handbags from his elderly victims, a Court heard.

Ciorun, 28, of Harewood Street, Barkerend, Bradford, admitted two offences of theft and asked for five more to be taken into consideration. Prosecutor Claire Larton told Bradford Crown Court today that Ciorun spotted James Atkinson drawing a large amount of money from the Yorkshire Bank in Leeds Road, Bradford, on March 17.

Miss Larton said CCTV footage showed him sitting near the cashier serving Mr Atkinson and then following him from the bank.

Ciorun pretended to play the Good Samaritan, taking the pensioner’s arm to guide him across the busy road to a bus shelter.

Minutes later, Mr Atkinson realised his bank book and £600 was gone.

Ciorun struck again on a crowded bus in Manningham, Bradford, on May 13.

Pensioner Margaret Bristow was left in tears after he jostled her, furtively unzipped her handbag and stole £200.

The bus driver dropped distressed Mrs Bristow, in her 60s, off at a police station.

Ciorun told police he used the cash from both victims to buy drugs.

When officers asked how he managed to sneak the money from Mrs Bristow’s bag, he replied: “I am very good at it.”

In 2008, Ciorun was sentenced for stealing a woman’s purse at a supermarket.

He asked Judge John Potter to sentence him for thefts of three purses, a phone and a handbag. He had 11 previous convictions for similar acts of dishonesty, the court heard.

In mitigation, Ciorun’s barrister, James Bourne-Arton, said his client had been addicted to drugs since he was 16 or 17. He had pleaded guilty and made full admissions to the police.

Judge Potter said the courts took “a dim view” of those who targeted vulnerable victims in the community.