CCTV released following Bank theft in Barking
Officers investigating a distraction theft have released CCTV footage of three suspects they want to trace. At approximately 12.00pm on 16 September 2017, the victim – a 46-year-old woman – visited a NatWest Bank branch on East Street in Barking. She joined the queue and another woman started a conversation with her. CCTV enquiries revealed that as this was happening, a man waiting behind her bent down and removed an envelope from her bag. The woman and two men left the bank. The victim realised that an envelope containing £920 was missing when she reached the cashier. There have been no arrests, and the Met’s East Area Crime Command is investigating. Suspect One is described as an Asian woman, aged in her 20s with long straight brown hair. She was wearing a grey beanie hat, grey top, grey tracksuit trousers and black shoes. Suspect Two is a man of Eastern European appearance, aged in his 30s, with short black hair and a short black beard. He was wearing a cream-coloured T-shirt, blue jeans and blue trainers with white soles. Suspect Three is an Asian man, aged is his 30s, with receding short dark hair. He was wearing a black baseball cap, a dark-coloured body warmer, grey tracksuit trousers and white trainers. PC Matthew Trenfield-Brown, said: “This was a devious theft where the victim appears to have been targeted and fallen victim to a planned distraction theft, with three people seemingly working together to commit the offence. “We are appealing for any information as to the identity of these three suspects.” Anyone who can assist the investigation is asked to contact East Area Command via 101 or by Tweeting @MetCC. To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
