Pensioner in serious condition after Greenock bag snatch

Detectives are appealing for information following the robbery of an elderly woman in Greenock on Friday 4 May 2018. Around 2pm, an 81 year-old lady got off a number 517 bus in Auchneagh Road, Greenock. As she was making her way up the road, a man approached her from behind and grabbed her handbag, causing her to spin around, fall over and hit her head on the ground.

She was taken, by ambulance, to Inverclyde Royal Infirmary where she is in a serious condition.

The suspect is described as white with red hair. He was wearing a light coloured top with dark coloured sleeves and dark coloured trousers.

Initial enquiries by officers located the lady’s bag a short distance away at the top of the footpath between Florence St and Rankin St. Items from her bag were also found on Buchanan Street, Greenock.

Officers are carrying out door-to-door enquiries in the area and are checking CCTV footage.

Detective Sergeant Ross MacDonald said: "Clearly the person who did this has no conscience, their actions are despicable. An elderly woman was going about her day when her bag was pulled with such force that it caused her to fall and hit her head.

''I am appealing to members of the local community and to people who were on the 517 bus, was this man on the bus, did he follow the lady off the bus? Did you see him? I am asking anyone who was in the area at the time to think back and consider if they noticed or saw something which could assist us tracing the suspect. Even if you think what you know doesn’t matter, please let us be the judge and pass your information on.”

Anyone with information is asked to call CID officers at Greenock via 101, quoting incident number 2006 of 4 May 2018. Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.