Ali Hassan entered the home of Henry Lucas in Yarrow Grove, Horwich, as part of a group of three.
At Bolton Crown court, he was given a suspended sentence for this and other offences.
Bolton Crown Court heard that Mr Lucas woke up the next day to find a bag containing cards and £200 cash had been stolen from him.
The 82-year-old also discovered his car, valued at £6,000, had been stolen, with the thieves breaking a lock to gain entry into the premises.
Hassan then used the bank cards to make two purchases at a nearby Spar and was seen on CCTV doing so.
He was arrested but the car was never recovered.
Joe Boyd, prosecutor, read a victim impact statement from Mr. Lucas.
It read: “I am an old man who resides alone.
“They have stolen my car and they have stolen a bag containing my personal belongings from my bedroom.
“Dorm learning entered while I was asleep and made me feel anxious.”
While out on bail for those offences, 19-year-old Hassan was also found with a knife in public.
Police gave chase on foot on January 26 and found him with a four-inch knife with the word “pizza” written on it.
Hassan, of Gibbon Street, Bolton, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting robbery, theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of fraud involving the use of bank card and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
Nick Ross, defending himself, said he was “immature” but had learned a “healthy lesson” after spending his 19th birthday detained in prison awaiting sentencing.
It added that Hassan claimed he did not drive the vehicle away, did not break the lock to enter the property and did not know the age of the occupant.
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Judge Sally Hatfield said the knife was a “potentially lethal weapon” but added: “There is a realistic prospect that this will be his first and last involvement in crime.
“I think there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, so I will suspend the sentence.”
She suspended a one-year, eight-month sentence for one year and ordered him to perform 80 hours of unpaid work and attend the 25-day rehab activity requirement.
After Mr. Lucas was told the outcome of the case, he said, “Okay.
“I have no idea how it was, I was asleep at the time.
“I didn’t get my car back, but I didn’t use it much anymore, I have trouble getting out with mobility problems.”