Police are appealing for witnesses after a 91-year-old woman had her bag snatched outside Churchill Square, Brighton.
The victim was sitting at a bus stop in Western Road just outside Churchill Square shopping centre on Tuesday (13 October) at 10.30am.
A woman approached her and grabbed the victim’s bag from the bench next to her and ran into the shopping mall.
It is believed a number of witnesses saw this and the shopping mall security staff called police. The suspect is described as white, aged in her 20s with short dark hair. The handbag is a black double-handled style bag from Primark.
It is A4 size and contained cash, keys, bank and bus cards and other personal belongings including some items of sentimental value.
Detective Constable Ed Downes said: “This is a despicable crime committed in broad daylight. The elderly victim was left very distressed.
“Police arrived promptly and spent many hours with her, assisting her to get into her home and arranged emergency care for her.
“As is common in these sorts of cases, it is the loss of items of sentimental value such as photographs that have caused the most distress to the victim.
“Although a number of people kindly assisted the woman, police did not have any details of who they were. I ask that anybody who witnessed this crime or has any information about it to contact police by emailing 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting serial 0421 of 13/10.
“If anybody finds the handbag please hand it into Brighton police station or contact us on 101.”
