DONATIONS have flooded in to a greengrocers after a widow's purse was snatched while she was shopping in the store. The pensioner, 89, was in Rafters, Driffield, while a woman in her 30s followed her around.
She spoke to her about potatoes and the weather before suddenly walking away. When the elderly woman got to the till, she realised her purse was missing with her cash, house keys and photographs of her late husband.
The shop's owner, Andy Rafter, said: "The lady was extremely distressed. She's 89 and she has a very ill son. She was very upset. She said there were lots of things going wrong for her and we were very concerned for her.
"We put what had happened on Facebook and it just exploded. It was suggested by one of the public they rally round to help and it's been absolutely mind-blowing."
Within hours of Mr Rafter's post on his business's Facebook page, dozens of customers had pledged their support.
They raised more than £100 for the victim, enough to repay her missing cash and contribute towards the cost of changing the locks at her home.
Facebook user Heather Blades wrote: "If everyone who has commented or liked this post popped into Rafters and donated £1, I am sure we could raise enough to replace the missing money and show the old lady there are caring people in Driffield."
Emma Hodson also commented on the post.
She wrote: "Hope the lady gets her purse back and all its contents.
"People carry old photos and memories in their purses and they cannot be replaced."
Mr Rafter was overwhelmed by the response.
His business delivers to Driffield homes and several customers asked for extra money to be added to their weekly bills so it could be donated to the victim.
He said: "We've had kids come in with a quid of pocket money, so what does it tell you about where we live?
"It just puts things into perspective. It's great people are feeling sympathetic enough to want to go to the extent of getting involved.
"It fills you full of confidence again. It's gone from a really sad state of affairs to giving us a lift."
Although the theft itself was not caught on camera, Mr Rafter got clear CCTV images of a woman hurriedly leaving the store with a purse matching the victim's.
He handed the footage to police and was told she was not known to have operated in the area before.
Officers do believe the woman was a professional and deliberately targeted her victim, rather than acting on impulse.
The theft happened at 1.46pm on Thursday.
The suspect is aged between 35 and 40 and heavily built, with very long brown hair in a ponytail.
The purse she took was long and red.
Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting log 358 of September 5.
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