Two people accused of snatching elderly ladies’ bags in Hitchin last week have been remanded in custody to appear before a crown court judge next month.

Gary Moran, 42, of Beechwood Road in Luton, and Kelly Sach, 28, of Hospital Road in Arlesey, stand charged with theft, attempted robbery, fraud and joint enterprise following the incidents on Wednesday last week.

The pair appeared at Hatfield Remand Court on Saturday, and are now set to appear at St Albans Crown Court on July 7.

The attempted robbery is alleged to have happened at 3.40pm on Wednesday, when it was reported that a woman in her 70s was approached in West Alley by a bag-snatcher who tried to rip her bag off her.

The woman fell to the floor during the struggle, suffering face, hand and leg injuries – and received hospital treatment afterwards.

The theft is alleged to have happened at 3.50pm the same day.

It was reported that a woman in her 60s was walking along Maxwell’s Path alongside her bicycle when someone approached from behind and stole her bag.

Police believe that someone else then used the woman’s bank card to make a payment.

Detectives from the North Herts local crime unit and Operation Scorpion team arrested Mr Moran and Ms Sach on Thursday, and charged them the next day.