Eastbourne police warning after thieves target Waitrose shopper

By The Newsroom
Published 26th May 2017, 18:30 BST
Updated 4th Jun 2017, 20:51 BST
CCTV image of two men suspected to have been involved in the theft of a woman's cards and withdrawing large sums from her accounts.CCTV image of two men suspected to have been involved in the theft of a woman's cards and withdrawing large sums from her accounts.
CCTV image of two men suspected to have been involved in the theft of a woman's cards and withdrawing large sums from her accounts.
Police are urging shoppers to be alert after thieves stole a woman's purse and withdrew around £2,000 from her accounts.

Deidre Waite, 65, said the two men watched her put in her pin and stole her card wallet without her noticing in Waitrose, Old Town, on May 12.

Within 25 minutes, they had withdrawn £1,950 from the supermarket’s ATM before heading into the town centre to take more. Police say one of the cards was then declined at Argos.

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Mrs Waite said, “They knew exactly what they were doing, they must have waited, watched and targeted me.”

She said as she was collecting a free coffee a man leaned over her to pick up a newspaper – and that was when she believes it happened.

She said, “They were really organised. The were middle aged, respectable looking men. I had no idea it had happened until I got a message from my bank.”

The mother said the experience left her shaken, and she wants to advise people to never have the same pin for multiple cards – something she has learned from the incident

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She said, “I’m going to be a lot more careful. I went back last week and was very vigilant. You’ve got one eye over your shoulder all the time.

“I have lived in Eastbourne for 20 years now. I have never had that happen to me in all my life.”

A spokesperson for Sussex Police said, “Two men who were seen at Waitrose are suspected of being involved in the theft. They are described as middle eastern males, one bald and the other with dark hair.