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A reward of £500 has been put up for the capture of a pair who smother elderly victims' faces in a hot sauce before robbing them.
A member of the public approached Hampshire Police with the reward offer after reading about the bizarre crimes.
The offence occured shortly before midday on Monday, September 22th when a man pushed curry or chilli sauce into the face of an 85-year-old woman as she walked through Boots in Fareham.
The offender's female accomplice then stole the pensioner's purse, containing £300, from the bag on her walking frame.
Police are linking the attack to a similar incident in Commercial Road, Portsmouth, on October 22th and in this case an 83-year-old had £500 stolen.
Police spokesman Neil Miller said:
'A member of the public, who wishes to remain anonymous, has come forward after having read about the incident in The News and is generously offering a £500 reward for any information that identifies and leads to the capture of those responsible.
'He has also offered £300 to the elderly victim if the culprits are not found.'
The man caught on CCTV is described as of stocky build with an eastern-European appearance.
He wore a dark jumper, a light shirt, beige trousers and a beige peaked cap. He also wore glasses and was carrying a bag on his left shoulder.
The woman is of Oriental appearance, with short hair, slim build, and wore a dark waist-length jacket.
Anyone with any information should contact Hampshire police on 0845 045 4545 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Police Force: Hampshire
Address:
Boots Chemist
Fareham
HAMPSHIRE
PO16
