A would-be thief tried to snatch a woman’s credit card after telling her she had dropped £10 in a Hitchin car park – and police have today appealed for witnesses.

The attempted robbery happened on Monday, November 20, when a woman aged in her 50s was approached in the Asda car park off Queen Street by a man who told her she had dropped a £10 note.

He asked her to check in her purse. When she opened it, the man tried to snatch a credit card. The woman snatched the purse away and closed it.

The man then walked away and climbed over railings into Queen Street.

The suspect is described as a stocky white man, aged between 20 and 30, with short black hair that is slightly thinning on top. He is clean-shaven, with thick black eyebrows.

He wore a black hooded jacket with a white motif on the left side of the chest, grey trousers and black trainers with white soles.

Det Con Sarah Walsingham, who is investigating, said: “Thankfully the victim was not injured during the incident but she was understandably shaken by the ordeal.

“I’m appealing for anyone who was at the store or in the car park around the time stated and saw a man matching the description to get in touch, as you may have information that could assist our investigation.”

Anyone with information should contact DC Walsingham on 101, quoting crime reference G1/17/3665, or herts.police.uk/report.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use their anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.