POLICE have released CCTV footage showing the moment a man stole cash from a 91-year-old woman as she was making a withdrawal at a bank in Bury.

At around 11.30am on Tuesday, June 21, the woman was making a withdrawal from an ATM machine inside the Halifax bank in Market Street when she was approached by a man.

The man put a leaflet in front of her face, attempting to distract her and block her view of the cash, before he grabbed the money.

A member of the public attempted to intervene but she was pushed to the ground by the offender, who ran out of the bank. A member of staff attempted to pursue him but was unable to catch the offender.

He is described as an Asian man in his 20s, approximately 5ft 6in tall and of slim build with dark stubble on his face.

PC John Caulfield, of GMP’s Bury borough, said: “The images in the footage may shock some people as I’m sure any decent person will struggle to understand how anybody could sink to such depths that they would target an elderly woman in such a way.

“Thankfully nobody was seriously injured during the theft but that does not in any way reduce the severity of the incident.

“I would urge anybody with information to please come forward and contact police.”

Anybody with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident number 833 on 21/06/16, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.