'Cowardly' thief targeting pensioners
A 'cowardly' motorcyclist is riding up to women and stealing their handbags before speeding off.
The thief, who is operating in the Dudley borough, is mainly targeting pensioners with his thefts.
The first theft happened at around 9am on September 4, when a woman in her 60s was putting her shopping into the boot of her car at Sainsbury's in Sandringham Way, Brierley Hill.
A man on a motorbike went up to the woman, grabbed her handbag from the trolley and rode off.
Half an hour later a woman in her 70s was waiting at a bus stop on Church Avenue when she was approached by the motorcyclist, who snatched her handbag from her shoulder.
Just 10 minutes after that another woman, also in her 70s, was waiting at a different bus stop on Church Avenue, Amblecote when she saw a man on a black motorcycle wearing a white helmet drive past her.
A second biker wearing a black helmet then drove past to join the first rider, before turning back up the road and grabbing the woman's handbag.
Then on September 9, just before noon again at Sainsbury's on Sandringham Way, a man on an orange scrambler grabbed a woman's handbag in the car park and rode off.
Shortly afterwards, on Granville Road, Kingswinford, a woman in her 40s was approached by the biker, who unsuccessfully tried to snatch her handbag. Then, 10 minutes later on the same road, the motorcyclist went up to a woman in her 80s and grabbed her bag.
Chief Inspector Nick Rowe said: "These are cowardly crimes carried out against women who are often older in years and the person responsible needs to be brought to justice.
"We have been carrying out patrols in the area and we are looking at CCTV to try and establish the identity of the biker.
"Our initial inquiries lead us to believe there is one main offender, but perhaps two bikes are being used.
"In many of the reports, the bike used is described as having a registration beginning with FX08 or 07 and having distinctive chrome forks.
"I am asking the public to forget any loyalties and think about the vulnerable women who have been attacked. I'd urge people to give us a name so we can take this individual off the streets of Dudley quickly."
Anyone with information about the thefts can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
