Thief stole £2,000 from elderly woman in Bexleyheath M&S

The elderly woman was identified as an “easy target” by two women who followed her around the shop before pinching an envelope of cash she had withdrawn to pay a painter and decorator. 

The victim said she now feels nervous and frightened to go out and is constantly looking over her shoulder. 

One of the thieves was identified as 62-year-old Yanneth Tovar but the other woman has not been identified. Yanneth Tovar leaving court after she was given a suspended sentence (Image: NQ)

‘I didn’t know what was going on until I checked inside my bag’ 

Tovar appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday (July 31) after she pleaded guilty to theft. 

On June 6 the victim went to the bank to withdraw £2,000 then stopped at M&S in Bexleyheath Broadway to shop, prosecutor Sean Clark said. 

She was followed around the shop by two women who then distracted her by dropping coins on the floor next to her. 

While the victim was distracted Tovar pinched the envelope of cash from the woman’s handbag. 

“I didn’t really know what was going on until I checked inside my bag and noticed the envelope was gone,” the elderly victim said. 

Fortunately, a security guard who had grown suspicious of Tovar and her accomplice’s behaviour watched them as they carried out the theft. 

The security guard followed Tovar out of the shop then flagged down police support officers, at which point Tovar admitted what she had done. 

Tovar appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on Wednesday (July 31) after she pleaded guilty to theft.  (Image: Berk Uyal)

‘An easy target’ 

Sentencing Tovar, Judge Christopher Grout said: “The victim says that the incident has made her feel nervous and frightened to go back out. She says she did not expect this to happen and she now feels that when she goes out she is constantly looking over her shoulder. 

“This woman is described by others as elderly, and though I do not know her exact age it seems to me clear that she was considered by you and the other person you were operating with to be an easy target.” 

Tovar, living in Crystal Palace, is originally from Columbia but fled to Spain seeking asylum. 

Judge Grout said: “Your motivation for offending was to support your family in Barcelona in circumstances where you were experiencing financial hardship. 

“Obviously the fact that you and your family may have been experiencing financial difficulties is not a reason to steal from other people, nevertheless you were assessed as posing a low risk of offending in the future.” 

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He told Tovar the appropriate sentence was eight months, before turning to whether to suspend the sentence. 

Judge Grout said: “On the one hand there is the argument that offences such as this can only be met with an immediate sentence of imprisonment. 

“On the other hand in light of your very limited offending and the limited risk of future offending I do consider that there is a limited risk of future offending. I also consider that there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. 

“In addition, the prison population at the moment is such that it can ill afford new additions of people who have been given comparatively short sentences.” 

He therefore decided suspend the sentence for one year. 

Because Tovar said she intends to return to Spain, Judge Grout said it would not be appropriate to impose any community requirement such as unpaid work or rehabilitation sessions.