Police advice following increase in purse thefts

Following an increase in purse thefts over the last year in South Oxfordshire, the police will be handing out free purse chains to elderly women, and advice on handbag security.
During the last year, purse thefts in South Oxfordshire have increased by a third to over 100 incidents. Most of the victims have been elderly ladies out shopping. Police say the thieves are taking advantage of the fact that they are distracted by doing their shopping and are grabbing purses out of their handbags when they are not looking, or have left their handbags in a shopping trolley and unattended. There have also been thefts from day centres and post offices.

Police neighbourhood teams will be outside Waitrose in Thame, between 10am and midday on Thursday, September 25.
The purse chain is designed to reduce thefts by securing a purse to a handbag or a belt.