Police Appeal After Sentimental Purse Stolen in Radcliffe-on-Trent

Nottinghamshire Police are appealing for public assistance to reunite a woman in her 70s with her stolen purse, which contained deeply sentimental items, following an incident on Main Road, Radcliffe-on-Trent.

Appeal for Stolen Sentimental Items

The theft occurred around 1.30pm on 18 April, after the woman had been shopping at greengrocer Fruiticious, located at 4 Main Road, Radcliffe-on-Trent. She then walked a few doors down to the Nottinghamshire Hospice shop, situated at Unit 2, Main Road, Radcliffe-on-Trent. Upon entering the second shop, she discovered her bag was unzipped and her red purse was missing.

Officers believe the woman was likely the victim of a theft. The stolen purse contained cash, bank cards, and vouchers, alongside irreplaceable sentimental items. These included photographs of her children when they were much younger, drawings they had done, and her father’s old driving licence.

Police Constable Robin Gurney, of Nottinghamshire Police, stated: “The lady is certain she zipped up the bag before walking to the next shop so we are working on the assumption her purse has been stolen.” He added: “She is extremely upset and we have made her aware of the support available.”

PC Gurney urged anyone who may have found any of the missing sentimental items to come forward. He emphasised: “They are of no value to anyone else but have huge sentimental value for this lady and we’d love to reunite her with them.” Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident 26000235114.

Local Area & Safety Context

Radcliffe-on-Trent, located within the Rushcliffe district, has an overall crime rate of 41 crimes per 1,000 people in 2026, which is 46% lower than Nottinghamshire's overall rate. Despite this, in April 2025, Radcliffe-on-Trent recorded one crime of theft from the person, making it the worst small town in Nottinghamshire for this specific offence during that month. Theft from the person has a rate of 0.437 per thousand resident population in the Radcliffe-on-Trent ward, based on data from March 2025 to January 2026.

To help prevent similar incidents, official advice from the Metropolitan Police suggests keeping purses and bags closed and secure at all times, ideally carried in front or diagonally across the chest. Shoppers should quickly return cards to their purse or wallet and ensure it is zipped or buttoned shut. It is also advised not to hang bags on the back of chairs or leave them out of sight on the floor, as thieves can be adept at unzipping bags unnoticed.

Victim Support, an independent charity, offers free, confidential help to victims of crime across England and Wales. Their national Supportline is available 24/7 on 08 08 16 89 111, and further information can be found on their website at http://www.victimsupport.org.uk.

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OFFICIAL SOURCE VERIFICATION: This report is based on an official press release issued by a UK Police Force. Document: Appeal after theft of purse containing sentimental photos Source Link