Jail for serial thief chased by passer-by after handbag robbery
A serial thief who violently dragged a woman to the ground while stealing her bag has been jailed after a passer-by ran after her and took a photo.
Rachel Bloore – who has 10 convictions to her name for theft and burglary – was locked up this week after being caught following an incident in Birmingham last year.
The victim was walking to work in Douglas Road, Acocks Green, at around 8am on October 26 when she became aware of a woman walking behind her.
Moments later Bloore lunged for the 55-year-old victim's bag and tried ripping it from her shoulder.
She slapped the victim in the face and eventually ran off with the handbag when its strap snapped.
However a member of the public saw what happened and, after helping the woman to her feet, chased the mugger and managed to get the bag back.
The 26-year-old man also demanded Bloore, of no fixed address, give back two mobile phones she tried to hide in her pockets.
He then returned the stolen items and passed an image of Bloore to a West Midlands Police officer. She was recognised immediately and two weeks later was arrested from an address in Pool Farm Road.
Now Bloore, 33, has been jailed for three years after pleading guilty to robbery at Birmingham Crown Court.
Detective Constable Claire Smith, the investigating officer, praised the man, saying: "He was walking to collect his child when he heard screaming and noticed the victim on the ground. She suffered a cut lip and grazes but thankfully wasn’t seriously hurt.
“These days you expect people to just take out their phone and start filming. But this man leapt into action, checked the woman was OK and ran after Bloore.
“He did a brilliant job and secured a photo of the offender which allowed us to quickly identify Bloore. Congratulations to him – he can rightly be proud."
