A thief was caught red handed stealing money from an ill pensioner after a father and daughter put a camera in a teddy bear's eye socket.

Forensic scientist Emma Sampson, 21, and her father Robert put the plan into action after her 75-year-old grandmother Thelma noticed money had gone missing from her home.

Mr Sampson, who cares for his mother, who lives in Walton, Liverpool, said: "My mother has end-stage leukaemia and we had to get a carer in who worked for the Primary Care Trust (PCT). The next day my mum said £40 had gone out of her purse.

"I said 'are you sure?' and she said 'I may be dying but I know how much money I had in my handbag'.

"So my daughter, who has just graduated from her forensic science degree at the University of Central Lancashire, said we should mark the bank notes and buy a camera.

"Emma wrote down the serial numbers on three £20 notes in my mum's purse and we got a £55 camera from the local DIY store.

"Emma said the camera lens was just like the eye of the teddy bear in the house so we put the camera inside.

"We thought it would be a long process but she was greedy. We called the police and showed them the footage and gave them the serial numbers."

Care assistant Yvonne Allen, 28, of Oakwood Road, Halewood, Liverpool, was sentenced to six months in prison on August 13 after pleading guilty to two counts of theft at the Criminal Justice Centre in the city.

She also agreed to pay £60 to Mr Sampson's mother, a spokeswoman at the Criminal Justice Centre confirmed.

Mr Sampson said: "She (Thelma) has seen justice before she dies. She was glad to hear the sentence. I was pleased she was sentenced to six months as I thought there may be a chance she could get a suspended sentence."

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