Thief steals shopping from disabled penioner's car outside Harborough supermarket

A thief who targeted a disabled woman of 78 in Market Harborough town centre is being hunted by police.
The crime comes after police warned shoppers to be alert after five handbags were stolen from women in 10 days last month.The crime comes after police warned shoppers to be alert after five handbags were stolen from women in 10 days last month.
The crime comes after police warned shoppers to be alert after five handbags were stolen from women in 10 days last month.

The man stole her handbag and Christmas shopping from her car in Sainsbury’s car park at about 2.35pm on Thursday (Dec 19).

Her bag included clothes, alcohol and other goods she’d bought just minutes earlier for the Christmas and New Year holiday.

The opportunist crook opened her passenger door and ran off with his haul while the pensioner unlocked her car to get into the driver's seat.

The offender also pinched her mobile phone just yards from scores of shoppers.

Staff at Sainsbury’s went to help the vulnerable elderly victim, who was left seriously shaken and shocked by the incident.

Police were called to the scene but after a search the offender could not be found.

Police are now studying video footage alongside Harborough council’s dedicated CCTV team in a bid to catch the offender.

They have also urged any eye-witnesses to call them urgently on 101, quoting crime number 19/678744.

The crime comes after police warned shoppers to be alert after five handbags were stolen from women in 10 days last month.

The thieves targeted Sainsbury’s car park as well as the one shared by Aldi and Waitrose and nearby Lidl car park.

PC Malc Roberts, of Harborough police, told the Harborough Mail at the time: “We’ve had a real spate of handbag snatches in these busy supermarket car parks over the last couple of weeks.

“We are urging women shoppers to be extra vigilant – be on your guard all the time.”