Pair sought over Hartlepool pensioner cash machine theft

Police are keen to identify a woman and man after a pensioner had money stolen from him

Police are trying to identify two people after a man in his 80s had money stolen when he was distracted while using a cash machine.

Cleveland Police said the victim was in Lloyds Bank in Hartlepool at about noon on Monday when a man told him he had dropped some money.

As the elderly man turned to look, a woman snatched notes from the ATM.

There was then a scuffle in which the victim had to use his walking stick to fend off an attack.

Cleveland Police wants to trace this woman

A police spokeswoman said it was believed the two suspects had been outside the bank for a short time identifying potential targets and were caught on CCTV following elderly customers as they queued.

The suspects are in their 40s and the man spoke broken English.