Biker Bag Snatcher 'could have been in the Tour de France'

A local woman whose bag was snatched last week on Wednesday in Perryn Road as she returned home from a church service has spoken to us about what happened.

"As I walked home, I couldn't help noticing how snowy, quiet and beautiful it was. But I was glad to get back to my house without having slipped over as the conditions were quite treacherous."

As the victim, 74, prepared to ring her doorbell she felt a big wrench on her shoulder. "My bag was snatched away so quickly. The boy who snatched it turned and ran off, got onto a bike and rode off very fast - it was as though he was in the Tour de France he was so fast."

"I watched him to see which way he went and he headed straight ahead towards the new footbridge [over the A40]. I guessed he was heading for the other side."

"The police could not have been more helpful. We rang them immediately to tell them exactly what had happened. They said they were going to follow it up. Then 20 minutes later they were on my doorstep with a big 'police evidence' bag. Inside it was my handbag and its entire contents. My bag had been dumped on the new footbridge."

The bag was examined forensically and the victim and her husband received subsequent visits from the police. "We will be writing to them to say how much we appreciate their thorough and quick response to this incident."

"Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I could easily have been knocked over - the tug on my shoulder was very forceful, so I consider myself lucky not to have been injured. In fact, I am intrigued by the whole thing."

Police have advised members of the public to be vigilant.

January 20, 2010