An antiques dealer tricked his way into pensioner’s homes then stole family heirlooms.

Smooth-talking Lee Collins conned his way into an 88-year-old woman’s home, then snatched her grandmother’s jewellery while her back was turned.

Collins, of Dyke Road Avenue, Brighton, claimed his elderly victim Josephine Cutcliffe “was confused” and had sold him her treasures, but he is now facing a prison sentence for the thefts.

Collins, 43, was on bail for stealing from another pensioner’s home when he visited Mrs Cutcliffe’s home in Havelock Road, Warsash, Southampton, unannounced in February last year.

He asked Mrs Cutcliffe whether she had any old books. Thinking he was from the local bookshop she invited him in. Once inside he asked if she had any old jewellery.

She refused to sell Collins a treasured necklace and earring set, passed down from her grandmother, which she hoped to pass on to her own grandchildren.

Instead she offered him a few broken bits and pieces, but when her back was turned Collins helped himself to the jewellery she had refused to sell. She has never got them back.

Mrs Cutcliffe said: “I loved those things and I would never have sold them. Now they’re gone.

“He was a very ordinary, respectable looking man but I can’t believe how stupid I was, I feel a fool.

“The police said he was a low-life and I can think of some other words for him.

“I may be elderly but I’m not confused.”

Collins had advertised himself as Westdene Galleries, based in Sussex, and hired a company to provide him with a London telephone number. However, he really operated from his Brighton home and he had previous convictions for theft and burglary.

In 2008 Collins stole a barometer from 79-year-old Jennifer Fennel after visiting her home, claiming to be an antiques dealer called Mr Roberts.

Collins had also been convicted of four burglaries and two counts of making off without payment.

Collins denied stealing Mrs Cutcliffe’s necklace and earrings, claiming the pensioner had sold them to him.

He said he had been an antiques dealer for 20 years and claimed Mrs Cutcliffe was confused.

But a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court found him guilty of theft.

Releasing Collins on bail to be sentenced on April 30, Judge Peter Henry said: “I make it clear that I want the probation service to look at all options and it may well be that there will be a custodial sentence as a result of this conviction.”