THE grand-daughter of an 82-year-old woman with Alzheimer's Disease is warning other families to be on the alert for a thieving carer.

Thief Sharon Michaela Plaxton had been working for the elderly woman for a year before she was caught on film stealing cash from her house.

She was prosecuted after the victim's family set up hidden cameras after they noticed money appeared to be disappearing.

Plaxton, aged 50, of Holly Bank, Elvington, pleaded guilty to theft of £60 between April 1, 2015, and March 21, 2016, and was ordered to do 300 hours' unpaid work by York magistrates.

She was also ordered to pay £60 compensation, plus £85 prosecution costs and a £60 statutory surcharge.

The pensioner's family thinks she stole considerably more.

The victim's family feel betrayed by Plaxton, who they liked and trusted to go into their relative's home on a regular basis to look after her.

And they urge other families to follow their example, if they notice money going missing from the homes of their elderly relatives.

Grand-daughter Joanne Preece said the family set up cameras in the old woman's home on police advice after they noticed a large increase in the amount of cash that she was taking from her bank account and putting in her home.

"It was the only way you could ever prove it," she said. "We caught her red-handed stealing money. We are sad we didn't put the CCTV in earlier. We want to make people aware of her. If she has done this to my nana, she could have done it to other people."

She said the family met Plaxton before the thefts were discovered and believed she was the right person to care for their elderly relative.

"We thought she was wonderful. It is just awful. My grandmother is nearly 83 and has Alzheimer's Disease. In her own home she is very vulnerable.

"We put our trust in that carer. It is just terrible."

She urged other families to be suspicious if their elderly relative's money goes missing and to install CCTV to get evidence for possible prosecutions.

Magistrates told Plaxton her offence was a breach of trust.

Three hundred hours is the maximum number that can be imposed in a single sentence.