Parking inspector thwarts mugger
11:10am Thursday 31st July 2008 in News By Katie Adams
A MUGGER who made off with a pensioner's purse in Chippenham was stopped in his tracks after leaving his car in a disabled parking space.
After being confronted by a traffic warden in the Bath Road car park the mugger jumped his Audi A4 and sped off, but not before onlookers got a good description of him and pictures of his car.
Events unfolded between 11.30am and 12.30pm on Thursday when an elderly woman sitting on a bench in the High Street had her bag snatched.
She lost £50, credit cards and her bus pass, which were all inside in her purse.
Minutes later a traffic warden came across a black Audi A4 in the Bath Road car park and noticed the windows were wound down and a ladies handbag was on one of the front seats.
After taking pictures of the car the warden noticed a man walking towards it.
He jumped into the car and sped off.
Police believe the car was stolen from the Bristol area and the man may have driven down to Chippenham from there.
The offender is described as being white, with a slight build, aged between 20 and 25 years old and around 5ft 8ins tall.
He had strawberry blonde spiky hair and was wearing an emerald green t-shirt with orange and yellow print on the front. He was also wearing light blue jeans.
PC Mat Jacobs of Chippenham police said: "He was caught on CCTV and we also think he was seen acting suspiciously in Superdrug that morning."
