A gang of young men attacked and robbed two women in separate attacks 20 minutes apart in Hove and Portslade.
The thugs first approached a 65-year-old woman from Shoreham in the Aldi car park in Carlton Terrace, Portslade, as she walked towards the store at about midday on Tuesday (25 March).
One said hello to the woman while a second punched her in the face and knocked her over.
They stole her purse and ran away.
The victim was left shaken but unhurt other than bruised.
About 20 minutes later a young man deliberately drove a moped at a 25-year-old woman as she was walking in Poplar Avenue in Hangleton.
She was hit by the moped and fell down.
Three young men demanded that she give them her handbag.
She refused and the cowardly thugs fled with the moped before putting it into the back of a white van and driving away.
The woman, from Hove, suffered cuts and bruises.
The first man was described as about 5ft 6in tall and blond. He was wearing a cream hooded top and light trainers.
The other two men were described as 5ft 8in tall with dark hair.
Detective Sergeant Cheryl Lewendon said: “The men were all white and have been described as being teenagers or in their early twenties. We urgently need to find them.
“These were brazen attacks in the middle of the day in areas where the attackers could have been seen by many people passing by.
“If you know who they are or where they could be, please contact us.”
Anyone with information is asked to phone Sussex Police on 101, email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
