Police warning over spate of supermarket car park thefts, including in Reigate (From Redhill And Reigate Life)

Police warning over spate of supermarket car park thefts, including in Reigate

3:40pm Monday 18th March 2013 in Local News

Police are renewing a warning to people to be on their guard after a series of thefts in supermarket car parks across East Surrey.

The warning follows people reporting their bank cards being stolen in so-called 'distraction thefts,' including in Reigate, Leatherhead and Oxted.

A Surrey Police spokeswoman said: “Over the past month, several thefts have been reported to officers where an offender approaches a victim, usually near a cash machine, and tells them they have dropped a £10 note, insisting they take it back. “The offender then steals a bank card when the victim opens their wallet.”

She said the ploy had been used in Morrisons car park in Reigate, as well as store sites including Morrisons car park on East Hill in Oxted, outside Tesco in Oxshott Road, Leatherhead, and at Sainsbury’s in Leatherhead High Street.

The spokeswoman said that on each occasion, the offenders had been a white woman and a white man, both speaking with an Eastern European accent. Investigating officer Detective Constable Errol Chetty, said: "I would urge people to remain vigilant and to simply walk away if someone approaches you suggesting you have dropped money which you know you haven’t.” He said: "I would also ask people to look out for the most vulnerable members of our society as they may be targeted more by such offenders.” Anyone who has information on the thefts is urged to contact Surrey Police on 101, quoting reference RB/13/1788, or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.