A conman has been sentenced for four years in prison after stealing and defrauding from women in Borehamwood and Bushey.

Simon Cohen, 32, or Acklington Drive, London, was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on November 16 for two counts of burglary and two counts of fraud.

In December 2013, Cohen arranged to meet a Borehamwood woman in her 50s after meeting on a dating website.

After meeting the woman at her home, Cohen took pictures of her paperwork and it is believed he returned to her address on multiple occasions stealing jewellery, an iPad and cash.

He also used a false identity on a dating website to arrange a meeting with her but never showed up and in the meantime he had again entered her home.

In November 2013, Cohen had befriended another victim, a 30-year-old woman from Bushey, using a dating website.

Again, he visited the woman’s home and unknown to her, he took photos of her credit cards for use online.

Detective Constable Darren Machin, from the Hertsmere Local Crime Unit, said: “Cohen befriended his victims through online dating websites with the sole intention of stealing or defrauding them.

“His predatory actions had a significant psychological impact on his victims.

“Not only had they fallen into his trap but for one victim, numerous items went missing without explanation over a period of months, leading to her doubting her own actions and even at times question her own sanity.

“These kinds of burglaries and frauds are very unusual however I would encourage people who use the internet to take sensible precautions to stay safe.”

Cohen was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for two burglaries and 15 months for two counts of fraud giving four years in total.