An elderly woman from Baldock has been left without sentimental items after her purse was stolen at Sainsbury’s in Letchworth on Thursday.

Margaret Jordan was shopping in the supermarket on Thursday morning when she thought a man might be following her. As she went to pay for her shopping, she realised her purse had been taken from her handbag.

Before the 74-year-old went to pay for the shopping, she had already visited the kiosk and paid using her card which was in her purse. Also inside was photographs of her late parents, credit cards and discount cards.

She told the Comet: “I’ve always put shopping bags on the trolley hook and keep my purse inside there, I went to the counter to get some bits for my husband at the kiosk and I paid for them by card so I know I had my purse then.

“I went to the café to meet my friend and saw a chap sitting opposite on the next table, and he kept looking at us.

“I left the café to do my shopping, and whenever I looked round he was behind me until I got round to the cakes, that’s when I couldn’t see him anymore.

“It was only when I went to pay for my shopping that I realised my purse was gone.”

“This new thing you can activate where you can pay by just pushing your card up to the reader worries me. It’s not like writing in a chequebook anymore.

“I’ve never activated the contactless before, but I’m worried that whoever has my card could try to.”

Staff at Sainsbury’s contacted to police and Margaret’s husband went to the superstore to assist his wife.

A police spokeswoman said: “Officers investigating the theft of a purse in Letchworth are appealing for information and witnesses.

“It happened at the Sainsbury’s store in Third Avenue between 10.15am and 11am on Thursday, January 18.

The victim, in her 70s, was shopping in the store when the offender took her purse from her shopping bag before making off.

“It’s just all those little things you keep in your purse. I had two photos of my mum and dad in the plastic sleeve.” Margaret added.

“They both died in 1978, and I knew every time I got my purse I could see those pictures.

“I keep thinking of different things, like this little telephone book I also kept. I could open it up there would be all of my credit cards, bank cards, and of course that pictures of my parents too.

“Its just all the sentimental bits and pieces that I want back.”

Anyone with any information should contact police on 101 quoting reference number G2/41/4651/18.