CCTV image released after pensioner robbed in High Street (From Watford Observer)
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CCTV image released after pensioner robbed in High Street, Watford
3:30pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News
By Ben Endley, Senior reporter
Police are ramping up their efforts to catch the culprits and have released this image.
A CCTV appeal has been launched to find two women who stole £400 from an elderly lady in Watford.
The victim, who is in her 80s, was followed for at least 15 minutes after withdrawing the money from an ATM in High Street on Wednesday February 27 between 2pm and 2.40pm.
During the ordeal the woman walked into Poundland and was bumped into several times by the alleged offenders and was followed onto the 230 bus.
Whilst on the bus one of the women caused a disturbance which distracted the victim, meanwhile the other is believed to have cut her bag and taken her purse.
The victim, who is from Croxley Green, spoke to the Watford Observer earlier this month. She said: "Wherever I went they were there. I kept trying to get away from them but I couldn’t.
"I went into Poundland while I was waiting for the bus and one of them followed me round the whole shop as close as if she was a little kid holding onto my skirt.
"As I was waiting for the bus they jumped the queue and one of them got in front of me and another behind me.
"They were asking to go to a place that the bus didn’t even go.
"At first I couldn’t understand how they got their hands in my bag, it has got a big slit down it and I am grateful they didn’t razor me."
Now police are ramping up their efforts to catch the culprits and have released this image.
PC Chris Phillips, who is investigating, said: "It is important the offenders of this crime are arrested.
"They have targeted an elderly, vulnerable woman and must dealt with.
"It could be that the suspects have travelled from London to the area and I would appeal to people not only in Watford but north London to look at these images and contact me if they can assist my investigation."
Anyone who recognises should contact PC Chris Phillips via the non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference number C1/13/1023. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers, the independent charity, anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Comments(12)
MrBlackCab
says...
4:43pm Wed 20 Mar 13
Dollyhat
says...
5:02pm Wed 20 Mar 13
lsimpson123
says...
7:28pm Wed 20 Mar 13
However, I'm slightly alarmed that the writer of this article does not know the definition of robbery and therefore has put it in the title. Thank goodness she wasn't robbed is all I can say!
Traveller Tom McD
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9:13am Thu 21 Mar 13
Mohandas
says...
9:22am Thu 21 Mar 13
We need a society where we all look out for each other. Far too many see the elderly as easy targets.
Knowing that she was being followed, I wonder if she felt awkward seeking help?
garston tony
says...
1:01pm Thu 21 Mar 13
onlyonerodthomas wrote:Of course we dont want foreign criminals over here,we've got plenty of our own home grown scumbags after all. But lets not make out that all Romanians or even anywhere near a percentage are going to come over just to turn to crime. Most i'm sure will, like the Pole's etc, be here to work hard doing the jobs that so many of our own unemployed deem is beneath them
utter scumbags!!!.looks to me like typical romanian pick pockets.wait until next year when more will legally come here to rob the elderly.
Hope they catch these two ladies too
G_Whiz
says...
1:30pm Thu 21 Mar 13
garston tony wrote:You must have missed reading the Stats Tony!
onlyonerodthomas wrote:Of course we dont want foreign criminals over here,we've got plenty of our own home grown scumbags after all. But lets not make out that all Romanians or even anywhere near a percentage are going to come over just to turn to crime. Most i'm sure will, like the Pole's etc, be here to work hard doing the jobs that so many of our own unemployed deem is beneath them
utter scumbags!!!.looks to me like typical romanian pick pockets.wait until next year when more will legally come here to rob the elderly.
Hope they catch these two ladies too
http://www.telegraph
.co.uk/news/uknews/c
rime/9896121/Up-to-o
ne-in-three-Romanian
s-arrested-figures-s
how.html
garston tony
says...
2:43pm Thu 21 Mar 13
Bringe
says...
4:49pm Thu 21 Mar 13
Bringe
says...
5:28pm Thu 21 Mar 13
When are we going to learn from the Germans and insist that people living here have to register their address and carry an I.D. card at all times or risk being detained until proof is provided.... No I don't mean the expensive and invasive biometric chipped ones the authorities would like us to have but simply duplicate of each persons passport details, afterall no one objects to showing them at airports. Having spent considerable time there I can tell you that though the German police have the right to stop anyone, they are at least sensible about it and people going about their legitimate business are usually not troubled. I see no reason why here should be different despite the fears of some. IMO our traditional denial of such restrictions is a root cause of the social disaster that we now live in, all manner of respect has been replaced by distrust.
tonyevans22
says...
1:16am Fri 22 Mar 13
onlyonerodthomas says...
4:16pm Wed 20 Mar 13