Teen tried to steal pensioner’s purse

It happened at around 8pm on Wednesday, February 18, when the 63-year-old woman was walking along Bridge Street in Hindley Town Centre in the direction of Lancaster Road.

She walked past The Acorns Care Centre and a teenager riding a pedal cycle passed her doing wheelies and continued to cycle onto Lancaster Road.

The woman saw her friend, who she stopped to speak to outside Dawsons for a couple of minutes, before she walked onto Lancaster Road at the junction of Bridge Street and Chapel Green Road.

As she walked up the road close to the Ellesmere Pub, she was dragged to the floor by the teenager she had seen earlier.

He grabbed her handbag and tried to cycle off with it, however he didn’t manage to grab hold of it and rode off empty handed.

The offender is described as white, aged 15 to 16, of slim build, wearing a plain light grey hooded top and dark tracksuit bottoms. He was riding a dark coloured bike with no mud guards.

Police Constable Chris Waddicar from Wigan division, said: “This young man targeted this woman, he waited for an opportune moment when she was on her own and dragged her to the floor and tried to steal her handbag.

“Luckily he didn’t manage get away with her bag, but the woman was dragged to the floor and was left in shock after the incident.

“If you have any information about the attempt robbery, I would ask that you contact the police as soon as possible before this boy offends again.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 0161 856 7964 or independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.