Pensioner is victim of cruel distraction theft outside Milton Keynes Tesco store

A 76-year-old woman has been the victim of a crafty distraction theft while she was loading her shopping into her car outside Tesco.

The pensioner was putting her bags away in the car park at Tesco’s in Wolverton yesterday (Wednesday) when a man interrupted her to say he was looking for a pharmacy.

She stopped to speak to him briefly then got into her vehicle – only to realise that her phone and purse had been taken from her handbag.

Bank cards from the purse have subsequently been used fraudulently, say police.

Officers are today appealing for witnesses to the theft, which happened at around 11.30am. They describe the offender as an Asian man, around 6ft tall and approximately 40-years-old with short, dark grey hair, a moustache. He was wearing a grey jacket or anorak.

The victim’s vehicle was a dark grey VW Golf.

Case investigator Kerrie Burns said: “This incident has occurred in a busy Tesco car park in the late morning.

“I’m appealing to anybody who was in the area at the time and believes that they witnessed this incident to contact Thames Valley Police.

“I would also urge anybody who was using their car in the car park and who may have dash-cam, to please check this and contact us if it has captured anything that may assist this investigation.

“You can get in touch by making a report online or by calling 101, quoting reference number 43230502442. Alternatively, you can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”