Wagga police warn Christmas shoppers to watch for bag snatchers

POLICE are warning shoppers to keep a tight grip on their handbags and wallets leading up to Christmas in the wake of a bag snatching in the Wagga Marketplace. A 21-year-old woman standing at the entrance of the Supr? clothing store had a wallet containing $800 and personal cards snatched from the folded hood of a stroller carrying her child about 1pm on Wednesday. Sadly, a little girl, believed to be about four years old and wearing a pink and white frilly dress, was with a woman and a teenager seen running away as the victim noticed her wallet was missing. Wagga police crime manager, Detective Inspector Rod Smith, said the woman seen running away was described as being about 40 years old, about 158 centimetres tall, of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander appearance, of chubby build with curly or wavy hair pulled back in a pony tail and wearing black three-quarter pants. The teenager is believed to be about 15, about 158 centimetres tall, of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander appearance and thin build. She was wearing a grey top with gold buttons running down the front and a black three-quarter sleeve short underneath, as well as denim shorts. The little girl was also of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander appearance. Inspector Smith said shoppers should always keep handbags and wallets with them. "Always have your handbag zipped up and over your shoulder and never leave it or your wallet in a shopping trolley or stroller," Inspector Smith said. Inspector Smith was unable to say if Wednesday's victim was doing Christmas shopping, but if she was the robbery would have been a particularly cruel blow.