Chester great-grandmother’s purse stolen as she shops for fundraising fair

Oct 20 2011 by Katie Bamber, Chester Chronicle

Chester great-grandmother’s purse stolen as she shops for fundraising fair

A GREAT-GRANDMOTHER has been left shaken after ‘heartless’ thieves snatched her purse as she shopped for a charity fundraiser.

Christina Anglesea, 78, is warning other shoppers to be on their guard after £150 was grabbed from her trolley in Morrisons supermarket in Chester on Friday.

Mrs Anglesea and a friend were stocking up on refreshments for a Hospice of the Good Shepherd fair, due to take place at St Colomba’s Church the following day.

“We both had our trolleys full and I had my bag hooked on the inside of the trolley,” said Mrs Anglesea, of Vicars Cross.

After stepping away for a moment, Mrs Anglesea turned back to find her handbag open. Two purses – one containing £150 and one her credit cards – had vanished.

“I knew immediately what had happened. When I saw the zip was undone on my bag, my heart just sank.”

Mrs Anglesea reported the incident to the shop’s security guard and manager. Police arrived and helped cancel her cards before the thieves could use them.

“The security at Morrisons were wonderful. But it was a terrible loss for me. I’m a pensioner and I can’t afford to lose that sort of money.

“And it’s the fact that we were shopping for a hospice.”

Luckily, Mrs Anglesea’s friend was able to purchase the supplies for the fundraising fair.

But she is keen that other shoppers remain vigilant until the perpetrators are caught.

“At least people will know to be careful. Those people are totally heartless,” she said.

“Whoever did it is probably bragging that they got away with it.”

Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

Anybody with information should call Cheshire Constabulary on 0845 458 000, quoting incident number 353.