Gang of thieves steal 86-year-old's £21,000 life savings

A gang of thieves have stolen an 86-year-old woman's £21,000 life savings after targeting her in a branch of Waitrose in south London.

The gang watched the unsuspecting widow as she entered her PIN number to pay for her shopping, before grabbing her bank card outside the store on Balham High Road.

They then used the money the pensioner was keeping for her grandchildren to buy six second-hand cards, clothes and fast food.

Met Police have now released CCTV footage of two men and a woman they wish to speak to in connection with the incident, which happened on 17th March. Officers believe the theft took place between 10:38am and 12:20pm.

Two member of the gang can be seen on CCTV watching the woman closely as she paid for her shopping, with one male suspect noting down her PIN in his phone.

Once outside the store, another of the suspects distracted the victim - stating he spoke little English and pretended to be lost with a map - as another stole her bank card from her pocket.

The money stolen was the victim's life savings.

Suspects:

• Suspect one: described as a white woman, aged in her 40s. She was wearing glasses, a black and white head scarf, a dark coat over a white blouse, dark leggings and black boots. She was also carrying a large brown bag.

• Suspect two: described as a slim built Asian man, aged in his 20s. He was wearing a dark hooded top with a fur hood liner, dark jeans and white trainers.

• Suspect three: described as a medium built Asian man, aged in his late 30s. He was wearing a dark hooded top with a light blue liner and white zipped front, dark jeans and white trainers.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact officers in Wandsworth via 101, quoting reference 0306003/16 - alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111