Elderly Woman Robbed In Wimborne

A 69-year-old woman had her purse stolen whilst out shopping in Wimborne town centre on Thursday August 11th.

Bournemouth and Poole police say the purse theft was one of a series of five similar incidents in surrounding areas and all are believed to be linked. The first incident took place on Tuesday 9th August in M&S on the Christchurch High Street, when a 79-year-old woman had her purse stolen.

Later the same day a 56-year-old woman had her purse stolen from her handbag as she visited shops in the town. The Wimborne incident then became the third theft in two days, followed by another on Tuesday 16th August when a purse was stolen from an 82-year-old woman in Poole. An 83-year-old became the final victim of the purse thefts, again in Christchurch town centre on Wednesday 24th.

The police believe two young women were involved in the thefts and are obviously keen to talk to them.

It goes without saying that these thefts caused a great deal of distress and inconvenience for their victims and I hope the perpetrators are caught soon. If it were up to me I would dock their wages until the money was paid back to the victims and the costs of convicting them were also repaid. If they are on benefits then their benefits should be cut for at least six months. We need to be a lot tougher on criminals to stop thefts like these reoccurring.

Anyone with information relating to these thefts should contact Dorset Police on 01202 222 222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.