Beware of professional 'dippers' stealing purses from shoppers in Central Milton Keynes

The woman, in her 60s, was in H&M when she was bumped into by another female.

She thought nothing of it - until minutes later when she realised her purse was missing from her bag.

Her daughter claimed:"The shop's CCTV showed an Eastern European-looking woman in her thirties bump into my mum and take something out of her bag. She quickly whipped it underneath a jumper she was carrying in front of her, like a shield.

"The camera then showed her handing the purse to a much older woman, who was obviously her accomplice. Both women then left the shop."

The purse was later dumped on the floor of nearby Topshop - minus £60 cash.

The daughter said: "My mum was really shocked and upset by it. The shops told us this happened regularly and it's called dipping."

According to the Retailers Against Crime organisation there has been a "marked increase" in bag snatches and dipping, and it is usually elderly people who are being targeted.

Methods include females following a shopper into a store and pushing her, sometimes even causing her to fall. They then steal the victim's bag or purse. Another method involves one of the crooks distracting the victim while her accomplice dips in her bag.

The H&M victim has accused police of failing to take her report of theft seriously.

"We called the police but they didn't even come out and take a statement," she said.

"Yet it was all there on CCTV for them to see."

A spokesperson for Thames Valley police confirmed the incident had been logged.

She said: "This is an ongoing investigation and if anyone has details they are asked to contact Thames Valley Police on the non-emergency number 101 or make a report online quoting the reference 43200069006."