A Gravesend burglar who tricked his way into an elderly woman's house has been jailed.

Martin Krok took advantage of the 97-year-old's kindness after he conned his way into her Darnley Road home in April this year and pocketed £30 cash.

The 26 year old, formerly of Northfleet, was jailed for three and a half years after he was found guilty of the offence on October 7 at Maidstone Crown Court.

He had knocked on his victim's door in the early hours of the afternoon to ask if he could look in her garden for a piece of cloth he had lost.

She allowed him in and he peered into the garden before announcing her could not find the cloth.

He then left and it was only then that his victim realised the cash was missing from her mantelpiece.

Officers from the burglary squad examined the scene and found Krok's DNA.

He was charged with the offence.

Krok was jailed for an additional six months for an attempted burglary in Cobham Street in April and had two suspended sentences of six months each, which he received in two 2012 burglaries, invoked, meaning he was sentenced to a total of four and a half years.

Investigating officer, DC Rob Sircar, said: 'Krok betrayed the trust of an elderly and vulnerable lady and stole a quantity of cash she dearly needed.

'His despicable actions left her distressed and confused, and have damaged her ability to trust strangers.

'Krok has been a prolific burglar in the Gravesend area in the past few years and it should bring some measure of comfort to his victims that he will be spending the foreseeable future behind bars.'