Handbag stolen from woman

3:17pm Monday 19th November 2007

A WOMAN'S handbag was tugged off her shoulder in a theft in Kidderminster town centre.

The victim, a woman in her mid-20s, was walking along Green Street towards Comberton Hill at 2.30am on Saturday with her boyfriend.

They were play fighting as they walked, pushing and shoving each other, when they were approached from behind by two young men.

One of the men pulled the woman's boyfriend back and told him to leave her alone. The two men then began to grapple with each other.

While the woman was distracted by that, the second man, who was standing by her, slipped her bag off her shoulder and ran off with it, in the direction of Comberton Hill.

The first man then ran off in the same direction. Both men were white and in their late teens to early 20s.

The first was of slim build, between 5ft 7ins and 5ft 10ins tall. He was wearing a white or light-coloured hooded top, possibly with a baseball cap and light-coloured tracksuit bottoms.

The second man possibly had a slightly tanned complexion. He was about 5ft 10ins, with short-cropped brown hair. He was wearing dark clothing, possibly a dark hooded top or fleece and blue jeans.

The stolen handbag was black, with black stitching in diamond shapes on the outside, giving it a quilt-like look and handles which were big enough to enable the owner to loop them over her shoulder.

It contained keys and store and bank cards but only a small amount of cash.

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact DC Phillipa Charlesworth in Kidderminster CID on 08457 444888 or ring Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.