Two bags snatch cases in a week

GARDAI are investigating if two bag snatches carried out in Wicklow town are in anyway linked.

Seven days separated the two crimes but in both cases the suspect was described as wearing dark clothing and had most of their face covered by a hoodie.

The first victim was a pensioner in her eighties who had parked her car at St Patrick’s Church Car Park on Monday, December 12.

She returned to her vehicle at around 5.30 p.m. and was approaching her vehicle when a male came up behind her and grabbed her handbag.

He then ran toward the mass path in the direction of Kilmantin Road.

The local lady who was robbed didn’t suffer any injuries but was left extremely shook after the incident.

On Monday, December 19, a male wearing a black hoodie and track suit bottoms tried to grab a handbag from a woman’s shoulder at St Patrick’s Avenue.

The victim, in her sixties, managed to hold on to her handbag but was shoved to the ground during the attempted theft.

The suspect was last seen running in the direction of Darragh Park.

Gardaí are examining CCTV to try and ascertain whether both incidents are related and were carried out by the same individual. A Garda spokesperson said: ‘ there are similarities between both cases and we want to find out if they both involved the same culprit.’