A woman was robbed in Warrington; the thief was arrested in Sheffield after a police chase.
The thief followed her from the bank. The woman didn’t realize she was being watched. Police say the thief went to Warrington train station and boarded a train headed to Sheffield.
Police told British Transport Police about the theft. They arrested her in Sheffield as she got off the train. Police found the stolen money and seized the recovered cash.
The suspect is 32 years old and from Sheffield. Police are questioning her now, and she is currently being held in custody.
A police inspector described the arrest. He credited the team’s work studying similar cases where thieves target vulnerable people in the area, distracting them to steal from them.
The police response was quick and effective, recovering much of the stolen money. Distraction theft can happen to anyone, as thieves can be very tricky, and victims might not notice the theft right away.