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Woman sought after thousands taken from pensioner while distracted in shop

Police are seeking the identity of the women in the picture
Police are seeking the identity of the women in the picture

A WOMAN is being sought after a pensioner had thousands of pounds stolen in a distraction theft at Marks and Spencer.

On Wednesday (May 25) after the victim, a woman in her 70s, withdrew a large amount of money from a bank in the town, before going to Marks and Spencer’s food hall at around 10.30am.

While leaning up to reach items of food from the shelf, and while her back is turned, a so far unidentified woman has walked over and grabbed an envelope containing the cash out of her handbag.

Police have carried out a number of enquiries to identify the suspect, and we now need to speak to the woman in the CCTV still as we believe she can assist us with our investigation.

DC Leanne Douglas, of Blackburn CID, said: “This incident has left the victim, who was out shopping for essentials, feeling very distressed and unsafe.

“We have a dedicated team of officers working to identify the individual responsible and although no arrest has been made at this stage our enquiries are very much ongoing.

“As part of those enquiries, we need to speak to the woman in the CCTV stills. I would appeal to anybody who recognises her – or the woman herself – to contact police as soon as possible.”

Anyone who has information in relation to the name or whereabouts of this woman, please call 101 or contact DC 4735 Douglas on 4735@lancashire.police.uk quoting log 724 of May 25, 2022.