Patricia Baines , 62 , failed to inform authorities that her mother Dorothy passed away in August 1986 and stole almost £70,000 by collecting her pension . A daughter who stole almost £70,000 by collecting her dead mother 's pension for 17 years has been spared jail . Patricia Baines failed to inform authorities that her mother Dorothy passed away in August 1986 . Officers found £6,000 of the cash hidden in the 62-year-old 's shed during a police search , Nottingham Crown Court heard . Baines , of Arnold , Nottinghamshire , was given a 26-week prison sentence , suspended for two years , on Friday after pleading guilty to theft earlier this year . An investigation is now under way to establish where the rest of the money is . Recorder David Chinery said he took account of her personal circumstances and decided not to send her to prison , even though her crime crossed the custody threshold . He said : ' I think you are a vulnerable lady and I am comforted to hear you now have support and are prepared to let people assist you . ' Baines stole £68,211.13 between August 1986 and April 2013 , the court heard . Justin Wigoder , prosecuting , said the defendant 's father received the pension under the Nottinghamshire Local Pension Scheme . His wife then claimed a widow 's pension until her death , when Baines should have alerted the authorities . Mr Wigoder said Baines abused a position of trust . He said : 'The pension should have ceased . This defendant did not notify Nottinghamshire local government of her mother 's death and she carried on receiving over 17 years . ' Digby Johnson , defending , said Baines was of good character . He added that she recently let the Salvation Army into her life to help . Recorder David Chinery told Nottingham Crown Court he took of account her personal circumstances and decided not to send her to prison , even though her crime crossed the custody threshold . He said : 'Before , she said she was okay . The reality is she was not . 'She will let The Salvation Army into her home and will accept the support that they can give . I 'm confident there is genuine support there . '
Patricia Baines did not tell authorities her mother Dorothy had died in 1986 . She was found dead at the home of a friend on January 1, 1986, and police said she may have been killed by an intruder who entered through a window while she slept.