| Five women have had their bags stolen in Newbury after leaving them in shopping trolleys or pushchairs while wandering around the store.
All five cases came in the last fortnight amid the Christmas shopping frenzy, prompting police to issue a warning.
Town centre inspector Malcolm Whitaker indicated that the incidents occurred in supermarkets, and said: “All five cases occurred when people left their bags in trolleys or on the back of pushchairs then wandered off to another part of the shop. Then when they come back, they wonder why their bags have gone.
“Handbags generally contain valuables such as purses, bank cards, keys and mobiles so shoppers need to keep them guarded at all times.”
Newbury is renowned for having one of the lowest crime rates in the Thames Valley, and the local partnership between police and shopkeepers makes sure that detection rates for incidents like shoplifting are very high. | 
