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The elderly frail women had just posted a letter and was on her way to her GPs when CCTV footage captured the hooded thug creep up behind her. As she was right outside the surgery he snatched her bag in broad daylight and she desperately tried to hang on to it. But she was yanked to the floor and dragged along the pavement before the pain forced her to let go.

The thief then ran off leaving the woman black and blue on the ground in Hackney, east London.

The victim, who was screaming, refused to let go of her bag, so the suspect dragged her until she was in so much pain that she eventually let go Scotland Yard statement

She suffered extensive bruising all over her body, with the most severe on her ribs and side where she was dragged along the floor. She also suffered a three inch bruise to her left arm from where the handbag dragged on her arm. The woman, who recently lost her husband of nearly 70 years, was left incredibly distraught, nervous, afraid of her attacker and left terrified of leaving her house.

MET POLICE Image of man police wish to identify and victim’s injuries

Scotland Yard said: “On Tuesday, 27 June, the 92-year-old victim was walking north on Hoxton Street in Hackney at approximately 2.40pm. “She had just been to post a letter and was heading to the Lawson Medical Centre on Nuttall Street. “Her route took her past the Papa Johns Pizzeria before she turned right into an alleyway that leads to the medical centre. “The suspect followed her from the street into the alleyway. “As she entered the grounds of the medical centre she was attacked from behind. “The man made several attempts to grab her bag, he used such force that she was pulled to the ground. “The victim, who was screaming, refused to let go of her bag, so the suspect dragged her until she was in so much pain that she eventually let go. “The suspect ran back into the alleyway and turned right heading north on Hoxton Street. “The woman sustained extensive bruising all over her body.

MET POLICE The 92-year-old widow was dragged along the ground as she tried to stop the robbery

“The most severe bruising was on her ribs and side of the body where she was dragged along the floor. “She also has a three inch bruise to her left arm from where the handbag dragged on her arm. “The victim, who recently lost her husband of nearly 70 years, is currently being supported by her family, including her niece who described how she is incredibly distraught, nervous and does not wish to be named out of fear. “She is now terrified of leaving the house and has lost her independence. “The suspect is described as a black man with short black hair. He was wearing a blue hooded jacket and dark coloured trousers. “The handbag contained a £50 Virgin mobile phone, her Freedom Pass, documents and £100 in cash.”

MET POLICE Image of man police wish to identify