Shoppers in Buckley urged to be ‘on your guard’ following a pickpocket incident

A Buckley resident is urging shoppers in the town to be “on your guard” after his wallet was taken by a pickpocket in the car park of a discount store. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Michael Lewis was shopping with his wife in the Buckley branch of Home Bargains on Monday when he was approached by a “foreign male.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The man asked Mr Lewis if he had two 50 pence pieces in exchange for a pound coin, the retired Castle Cement worker swapped coins with the man and continued shopping in the store. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

After paying for his goods Mr Lewis left the store and loaded up his car, the same man who approached him inside Home Bargains then came over to speak to him. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Michael Lewis was shopping in Buckley on Monday when his wallet was taken

Mr Lewis said the man had a take away menu in his hand and was asking for something, “I told him that I could not understand what he was saying.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I then got into my car and the wife said check if you have your wallet… it was gone.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Mr Lewis said he immediately got out of his car but the man was nowhere to be seen. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The wallet contained “a considerable amount of cash, my two bank debit cards, driving licence, home address and telephone numbers.” Mr Lewis said. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Despite cancelling his bank cards Mr Lewis visited his bank on Tuesday and was told a transaction had taken place in another Buckley shop, a transaction was also attempted in Chester but that was declined. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Mr Lewis said he went back to Home Bargains to speak with the manager “he has informed me that they have clear CCTV evidence of the perpetrators entering the car park, approaching another person and carrying out the dirty deed.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It’s also understood CCTV captured the car registration number of the alleged pickpocketer. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

North Wales Police have confirmed they received a report about a pickpocket incident which happened at around 3.50pm on Monday “outside Home Bargains.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Anyone with with information can contact North Wales Police via the live chat facility: https://www.north-wales.police.uk/contact/live-chat-support    ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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