Thieves who kept watch as an 82-year-old woman withdrew cash in Stevenage town centre spotted her PIN number and then swiped her purse before helping themselves to £2,000 from her account.

The Comet: Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft.Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft. (Image: Archant)

The pensioner had been out shopping in Stevenage town centre when the thieves struck.

Writing on Facebook, her daughter said: “The culprits were actually near her as she withdrew money from the cash machine in the bank to get her pin number.

“They must have followed her until they had an opportunity to take it from her bag in between WHSmith and the Card Factory opposite when she found it had gone.”

Before going shopping, the woman had withdrawn cash from Barclays bank in The Forum.

The Comet: Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft.Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft. (Image: Archant)

Police believe that the thieves watched her enter her pin number and then followed her along Queensway where they took her purse when she wasn’t looking.

They then went and withdrew £2,000 from the cashpoint she had used only minutes earlier.

The crime, which happened at around 11.15am last Wednesday morning, has been reported to the police who released CCTV images on Tuesday of two people they wish to speak about the theft.

To prevent crimes like this happening, the police advise people to use a handbag which closes properly, wear your handbag across your body and not just over one shoulder where possible and use a purse lanyard which attaches your phone or purse/wallet to your bag or clothes. If you put your handbag in your shopping bag, put it at the bottom, in a closeable bag. To register valuables, which makes it easier for the police to trace them, visit www.immobilise.com.

The Comet: Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft.Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft. (Image: Archant)

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

The Comet: Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft.Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft. (Image: Archant)

The Comet: Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft.Police want to speak to this man in connection with the theft. (Image: Archant)