TWO charity shop volunteers in Newent were targeted in a distraction theft with one having more than £40 stolen from her purse.

The husband of the victim, Rob Wadley, contacted the Review to warn others of the incident that happened on Tuesday, November 8 at the United Reform Church.

Mr Wadley said: “My wife and her friend were manning the charity card shop when, shortly before they were due to hand over the next set of volunteers, two young men visited the shop.

“The men said they were on holiday from Spain and wanted coffee and so were directed to a local café but shortly afterwards returned. After looking around, they approached my wife and her friend stating that they had been made to feel most welcome and wondered if they could take a photograph. While one was distracting the two women with this request, the other stole my wife’s purse that was with her bags and shopping.

“Despite notifying the police and searching the town with others for the culprits, and waste bins in the hope of finding the abandoned purse, we can’t trace the culprits. The police are looking at close circuit TV but we are not optimistic of progress.

“I want to warn others of the possibility of similar thefts. The two were probably in their twenties, had black hair and olive-skinned complexion, and were about 5ft 2in to 5ft 4in. One was quite slender and the other more robust. Both were dressed in black and one wore a leather jacket.

“We are grateful for the help and concern of the shopkeepers and people of Newent and the ongoing investigation by the police. We were also very glad that we had card protection in place. However the loss of the usual money, bank, credit loyalty and membership cards certainly causes a lot of follow up.”

The incident happened at 12.45pm.

If anybody has any information they should call police on 101 quoting incident number 210 November 8.