"It is hard enough at the moment anyway": Shoplifters steal £150 worth of handbags from independent Derbyshire boutique

Two women entered Bow Boutique on Causeway Lane in Matlock at around 1.30pm on Friday, October 2, and can be seen on CCTV putting several items into their jackets whilst another woman with a child distracted shop-owner Susanna Ash and colleague Sarah Coupe with a long story about micro-fibre cloths, in what Susanna described as ‘a classic distraction technique’.

Sarah Coupe, who was working in the shop on Friday, said: "The woman with the child came to the counter and tried to get us to sell her some micro-fibre cloths.

"She had rooted through the box and was pointing at them saying, ‘I want these’, but we tried to explain to her that we don’t actually sell them, and if she wanted them she could get them to Wilko’s, and then we had to explain where Wilko’s is – it was proper diversion tactics.

"Then the two women in the front part of the shop headed to the door and the woman that was asking about the cloths disappeared.

"As soon as they had gone, the penny dropped. We had been had, basically.”

Shop owner Susanna gave chase, following the woman to the car park where a car driven by a man was waiting for them.

Unable to get past Susanna, the car started to push into her before one of the women exited the car and physically moved Susanna out of the way.

Susanna said on Facebook: “I decided all I could do at this point was stand in the exit to the car park and sign to them that I’d like them to get out of the car to speak to me.

“They of course didn’t want to do so proceeded to try to run me over by ramming into my legs with their car!

“I’ve never found myself in this situation before but clearly adrenaline kicked in and I refused to give in

"The passenger then got out of the car and physically dragged me out of the way so that the car could exit.

“Unfortunately for them their plan was flawed as then the said woman had to at some point get back into the car.

"At which point I ran after her and took photos of her and the car along the way!”

One of the shoplifters (pictured) discarded one of the stolen handbags as they drove off, but they still managed to get away with two handbags and a purse, totalling £150.

Sarah added: "When we actually got back to the shop and looked through the CCTV images we saw them take the bag that we knew about, but also an additional two and a purse that they had been putting into presumably a massive pocket in their overcoat – you can actually see them doing it on CCTV.

"That’s the most grieving part – it hard enough at the moment anyway, really. It was obviously pre-planned and I would imagine it was something they have done elsewhere.

“The driver was two doors down, ready to pull out, when they arrived with their stash of goods.”

The Police have been unable to identify the car from its number plate.

See the CCTV images via the Facebook post below.