Distraction thief targets Bishop's Stortford shopper

A kind-hearted Sainsbury’s shopper was targeted by a distraction thief in the Thorley Neighbourhood Centre on Sunday afternoon.

The 56-year-old victim was approached by a tall, slim white man with a foreign accent at around noon, just as she finished loading her shopping and handbag into her car boot.

He asked her for directions and she offered to give him a lift to where he needed to go, but he declined. When she got home, she realised her purse had gone.

This is not the first time that a shopper has fallen victim to a distraction theft outside a Bishop's Stortford supermarket. In some cases, criminals may work together and while one diverts their target's attention, the other will steal their wallet, purse or phone.

READ ALSO: Thieves steal £5,000 from 83-year-old woman after 'crash' distraction at Thorley Park

READ ALSO: Distraction duo with map target shopper outside Bishop's Stortford supermarket

READ ALSO: Distraction thief asks Bishop's Stortford shopper for help before taking her £500 cash