HEARTLESS thieves who preyed on an elderly woman for almost three hours before stealing more than a thousand pounds from her bank account will strike again, police have warned.

Doreen Edwards, 80, was followed from the bus station as she did her shopping around the town centre, unaware a gang of three women and a man were watching her every move, waiting for the opportunity to distract her and steal her purse and bank card.

Over the space of a few hours they used various tactics to get her attention, such as dropping a £10 note outside The Savoy and coins on the floor of Wat Tyler House, before engaging in conversation with her in Poundland, where it is believed the theft took place on March 21.

When Doreen went outside and checked her bag she realised her purse was missing.

The gang also watched as she typed in her pin at the cashpoint inside Barclays bank in Regent Street, where they later returned and withdrew £1,000 from her ISA account and then a further £250 using her card.

The vulnerable pensioner cancelled the card but it was later traced to Birmingham where attempts were made to use it in Greggs and McDonalds.

This is the second time in six months the widow has been targeted by thieves and had her purse stolen in the town centre. It contained pictures of her and her late husband Fred who died in 1995 from cancer aged 62.

“I’ve always been a care-free person but this has hit me and it hurts,” she said.

“I’ve lost my confidence, it’s just gone. I wouldn’t want it to happen to anyone, it’s horrible.

“It would be nice if they handed my purse in but I don’t think that will ever happen. I want people to be aware.”

Doreen has been left too scared to leave the house, but when she does she goes with her nephew Lee Gristwood, 51.

“They clearly targeted Doreen because she’s elderly and vulnerable and that makes me angry," he said.

“In a way I feel guilty because I brought her down here to keep her safe.

"Nothing like this every happened for 50 years where she lived before and within three years of bringing her here she’s hit twice in the town centre with her purse being stolen.

“She has changed considerable in the past three weeks, to the extent we have had to get her down the doctors because we are worried about her confused state and it really has had an impact.”

Police officer Paul Rhys, who described the theft as “horrendous”, believes the gang travel from other parts of the country specifically to target vulnerable people. 

He has been collecting CCTV and liaising with other police forces to find the group. They have also released CCTV images of three women they would like to speak to in connection with the theft.

PC Rhys said: “I am 90 per cent sure they have travelled from elsewhere. I think they will come back and do this crime again, not just in Swindon all over the county and may be part of a larger organisation.

“There were really determined and it takes quite a lot of skill doing that surveillance and doing those distraction techniques."

He added: "It's an awful crime because Doreen comes from a generation of people who left their front doors open and trusted everyone. 

"Families who have vulnerable, elderly members please make them aware of this type of theft. Encourage them to cover their pins at cashpoints and be aware of distraction tactics."

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.