Holiday couple have cash stolen by thief in Hastings

Keith Pembroke and his partner, Diane Harrison, from Norwich, Norfolk, were in the Albion in George Street last Thursday (June 1) when the theft occurred.

More than £100 was stolen out of Diane’s handbag, while she was talking to her 85-year-old cousin.

Diane reported the crime to the police.

She said: “I was sitting at a table in the pub with my partner and an elderly relative and had put my shopping bag and handbag on the floor because when we went in, the pub was empty on that side of the room.

“I had my back to the door and did not notice a woman and man come in and sit at the table next to us.

“I sensed movement close to me and turned around just in time to see the woman put my bag back on the floor. The couple got up to leave.

“I checked my bag, which was zipped up, and saw my purse was still there, but checked inside that and found all the notes had gone. There was between £120 and £130 as we are on holiday and were planning to go out to various places over the weekend.”

Keith tried to pursue the pair in the street once he discovered what had happened but was unable to catch them.

Diane added the man ‘reeked of alcohol’ and that the woman’s speech was ‘slurred’.

Keith said the whole experience left him and his partner angry.

He said: “In 1958 at the tender age of 11 years I was introduced to Hastings on a one-week holiday and fell in love with it. My visits to Hastings will now cease after 59 years. My partner is very upset and has no wish to walk the streets where something like this, which she has never experienced before in her 68 years, despite being widely travelled across the world.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “Police received a report of a theft at around 5pm last Thursday (June 1) at a pub in George Street, Hastings.

“The victim, a 68-year-old woman from Norwich, noticed another woman in the pub picking up her handbag claiming she had tripped over it. Upon further inspection the victim noticed that £100 had been taken from her purse. The victim and her partner attempted to confront the suspect but she ran off.

“Anyone who was in the vicinity at the time and may have information is asked to call Sussex Police on 101 quoting serial 1105 of 01/06.”

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/ 2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hastingsobserver

3) Follow us on Twitter @HastingsObs

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Hastings Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.