POLICE IN NORTHERN Ireland have issued an appeal for information about two separate incidents in Belfast and Castlereagh yesterday afternoon.
At about 4pm, a 78-year-old woman’s handbag was stolen by a man who had approached her while she was sitting in a parked car outside her house on Cotswold Avenue in Castlereagh.
The bag contained a sum of money, as well as banking cards. The victim received bruising to her hand but did not required medical attention. Officers said she was left distressed by the attack.
The suspect is described as being in his late teens or early 2os. He is believed to be about 5’8″ tall and of thin build with short black hair. He was wearing a green, hooded top with jeans and dark-coloured Converse trainers.
Police say he came from a white Ford Transit van which was parked on Coolpark Avenue. There were two other men in the vehicle at the time. The driver is described as being in his mid-30s and bald with a goatee beard. They took off in the direction of Carnbrae Avenue after the robbery.
Separately, officers in south Belfast are investigating the mugging of a 35-year-old woman on Cadogan Street.
At about 5.30pm, the new mother was pushing her five-month-old baby in a pram when two men approached her from behind. They made off with her handbag and the babybag.
Both bags were later recovered in an alley nearby but a purse had been removed.
The victim received minor injuries and the baby was unharmed in the incident.
The suspects are described as being about 5’9″ tall and of stocky build. One was wearing a white, hooded top and the other was wearing a black baseball cap.
Anyone with any information about either robbery is asked to contact the local station of Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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