Don't give pickpockets an early Christmas present.
That is the message to Colchester shoppers as the festive season - a bumper time for thieves - gets under way.
There have been several town centre thefts in the last few days in which people lost cash and other items to sneaky criminals.
In one, a woman was bumped into by a man in St John's Street.
She later realised that a pickpocket had taken some cash from her.
In a second incident, a shopper's handbag was stolen as she browsed at a shop in Culver Walk, Colchester.
Police said it was later recovered but a purse and cash had been removed from it.
And in Culver Street West, a shopper's wallet was snatched. It held a driving licence and cash and was later found empty nearby.
Det Sgt Roger Napier, of Colchester CID, warned: "We're getting into the Christmas period and people are going to be out with quite large sums of money.
"Do be careful about how much cash you have on you and where you keep it.
"If you carry a handbag, safeguard it at all times and don't put it down while you're deciding what to buy for Uncle Bert."
Published Friday November 8, 2002
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