Elderly woman robbed in Cirencester Waitrose car park after distraction by man asking for directions. Police investigating.
The woman, in her 80s, walked to her car. Between 9:30 and 9:45 AM, a man came near. He asked about directions to Swindon, twice, then distracted her somehow and took a card holder from her bag.
The thief took money from her bank account, making online purchases and withdrawals. He likely saw her PIN at the store earlier. The theft has upset the elderly woman.
The suspect is a white man, around 60 years old, with a slim build and a foreign accent. He wore glasses and a black lightweight bomber jacket.
Police say watch out for distraction thefts. Thieves might ask for directions or offer shopping help. They may point out fake car damage, so be very careful in parking lots.
Thieves sometimes pretend to work for charities, asking for signatures for things. This gives them a chance to get close and steal wallets, purses, watches, or jewelry. Report suspicious activity to the police at once.
Police are checking CCTV footage now but still need info about this crime. If you saw anything, tell the police using their online form and incident number 172 of February 2. You can call Crimestoppers to report anonymously at 0800 555 111.
