Women Conned In Supermarket Car Parks

28 April 2011, 11:59 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Police are warning drivers to be on their guard following incidents at supermarkets in East Hampshire.

Between 1.50pm and 3.15pm on Friday, April 22, two smartly dressed Eastern European men approached older women getting into their cars in the car parks of the Sainsbury’s supermarket in Liphook and the Tesco car park in Bordon.

One of the men asked for directions to get to Manchester and placed a large map across the driver’s window to obscure the view of the vehicle.

While the women were distracted, a second man entered the vehicle and stole the women’s purses.

During the incident at Tesco, the woman saw what was happening and the man dropped the purse and ran off.

PC Daniel Stork Banks, from the East Hampshire targeted patrol team, said: “These two men are targeting women on their own and attempting to distract their attention to steal from them.

“Were you approached by these men? Did you see them in a supermarket car park on Friday? If you have any information, please get in touch. Please also be vigilant when approached in this way and don’t leave your vehicle unsecure, even if only getting out for a few minutes.”

Anyone with any information should contact PC Stork Banks at Alton police station on 101 or call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.