Crawley woman dragged along road by handbag thief in car

Police say the woman was dragged for about 100 yards along Lady Margaret Road, Crawley, at 9.45pm on Monday.

A statement from police said: “The 51-year-old woman was walking along Lady Margaret Road in Crawley, when a green VW Golf drove up alongside her and the driver initially asked her for directions, but he then leant out of the car and grabbed her handbag.

“As he drove away, she held on to the bag and was dragged along the road for an estimated 100 yards before having to let go. The car sped away, its wheels spinning and leaving marks on the road.

“The driver was a man and of black appearance, but there is no other description of him at this stage and no registration number for the car. As well as being very shocked, the victim sustained cuts, bruising and grazing, and was treated at the scene by an ambulance crew but declined to go to hospital.

“The handbag contained personal items and a small quantity of cash.”

Detective Sergeant Ian Warncken of the Crawley Investigations Team said: “This was a really distressing experience for the woman, who resisted bravely, but eventually had to let go before she became seriously injured.

“If you saw what happened or if you have any information as to who this man may be, please get in touch with us online or by calling 101, quoting serial 1452 of 28/05.

“You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

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