A THIEF who snatched a pensioner’s purse in a North Yorkshire village has been branded “cowardly and cold-hearted”.

The 89-year-old victim was waiting in the passenger seat of a red Vauxhall Agila in Broadway car park in Colburn, near Catterick Garrison, at about 6.40pm last Thursday, when a woman approached her and asked for change.

The elderly woman opened the window and took out her purse, which the thief snatched. The thief took a bank card from the purse before dropping it and getting away in a silver Audi.

The suspect was wearing a white shawl around her shoulders and spoken in a foreign accent. She is believed to be about 30 and of eastern European appearance.

PC Huw Williams, of Richmond Police, said: “Fortunately, the elderly victim was not injured, but she was very shaken up by the experience.

“Targeting elderly people in this manner is cowardly and cold-hearted and we are doing all we can to find out who is responsible.”