Woman robbed in supermarket car park
Submitted: 10/02/2003 17:58:39
Police are condemning a drive-by handbag snatch in the Asda carpark at Burgh Heath which risked serious injury to the victim who was pulled towards a moving car.
The 59 year old woman was unloading shopping into the boot of her car which was parked near to the car cleaning area at around 1.30pm on Friday (31 January) when a white Ford Escort drove up behind her. There were 3 or possibly 4 white men in their late teens or early twenties in the car. The one in the front passenger seat leant out of his window and grabbed the straps of the victim's bag pulling her towards the side of the car. They carried on driving and she fell to her knees and was dragged along the ground until she let go of the bag, leaving her with severe bruising to both knees.
Police are appealing for witnesses to this robbery to come forward. The car park would have been very busy at the time, and shoppers may also have noticed the car driving around the car park before the offence. Witnesses say the driver of the car had a skinhead haircut with patterns cut into it.
The handbag was found burnt out in the car park of the Cancer Institute in Belmont, Sutton later that day. This makes it likely that the Ford was driven down the A217. Police would also like to speak to anyone who noticed anything suspicious about a white Escort driving in that area after 1.30pm or noticed someone setting fire to a bag in the Cancer Institute car park. If you have any information please contact PC Terry Hardie at Reigate Police Station on 01737 386845, or if you don't want to give your name you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
For further information please contact the Divisional Press and Publicity Officer for East Surrey
E-mail: 8688@surrey.pnn.police.uk
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