Crooks watched a woman enter her pin number at a cash machine then distracted her while they swiped money from her bank account.
Police have now launched a witness appeal following the calculated theft which happened in Ellesmere Port at around 11.20am on Tuesday, February 16.
One of the offenders had seen the victim, a woman in her fifties, keying her pin in at the till while she was shopping and as she was putting her shopping away in her car at the town's Market Street car park, a woman distracted her by asking her for directions to the local hospital.
While she was distracted someone approached her vehicle and opened the front passenger door, removing the victim’s purse and money was then taken from her account.
PC Kevin Cooper from Cheshire police said: "The female offender is described as in her late forties to early fifties, 5ft 4ins-5ft 5in tall, of heavy build, with greying blonde shoulder length hair which was wavy with a partial fringe.
"She was wearing a blue thin zip-up jacket, a white top with blue stripes and black trousers. The man is described as being 6ft tall, of slim build with short dark hair and in his late 30s. He was wearing a black plain jacket."
PC Cooper added: “I would urge anyone with information to contact police on 101. I would also urge anyone who sees suspicious activity to report it.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting incident number 539 of 16 February 2016. Alternatively information can be given anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 .
Cheshire police have issued the following guidelines for ultimate safety when out shopping:
Always:
• Keep your pin secret when you are at a till or cash machine, never share your pin.
• Keep your bag safe and zipped up
• Don’t leave your bag unattended when putting shopping away
• If you spot suspicious activity in a shop or car park and you are concerned contact security staff in store or police
