Distraction Thieves Target Woman And Steal £920 From Her Bag In Bank Queue

3 January 2018, 14:08 | Updated: 17 January 2018, 16:09

CCTV has been released of the moment a woman lost almost £1,000 after being targeted by a group of thieves in an east London bank.

The victim, 46, had been queuing inside NatWest on East Street, Barking when one of the suspects started a conversation with her.

Meanwhile, a man who was standing behind her bends down and removes an envelope from her bag.

The woman and two men then leave the bank, shortly before the victim reaches the cashier, realising £920 was missing.

There have been no arrests following the incident, which occurred at about 12pm on 16 September 2017.

The Met’s East Area Crime Command is investigating and has released a description of the three suspects.

Suspect one is described as an Asian woman, aged in her 20s, with long straight brown hair.

She was wearing a grey beanie hat, grey top, grey tracksuit trousers and black shoes.

Suspect two is a man of Eastern European appearance, aged in his 30s, with short black hair and a short black beard.

He was wearing a cream-coloured T-shirt, blue jeans and blue trainers with white soles.

Suspect three is an Asian man, aged is his 30s, with receding short dark hair.

He was wearing a black baseball cap, a dark-coloured body warmer, grey tracksuit trousers and white trainers.

PC Matthew Trenfield-Brown, said: "This was a devious theft where the victim appears to have been targeted and fallen victim to a planned distraction theft, with three people seemingly working together to commit the offence.

"We are appealing for any information as to the identity of these three suspects."

Anyone who can assist the investigation is asked to contact East Area Command via 101 or by Tweeting @MetCC.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.