Police are hunting for thieves who have targeted elderly shoppers in supermarkets across Surrey.

Police yesterday released a CCTV image of a couple who they would like to speak with in connection with distraction thefts.

The scammers targeted Sainsbury's in Leatherhead and Cobham and Waitrose in West Byfleet on April 8 and are believed to have stolen elsewhere.

Between 12.30pm and 2pm at Sainsbury's in Leatherhead High Street a man pushed a woman in the back and apologised before walking off with her purse.

A female accomplice returned the purse and asked for change for a £10 note while the victim noticed her credit card was gone.

The woman pretended to drop the credit card on the floor and handed it back to the victim.

Just after 2pm the couple watched another elderly woman enter her pin at a tobacco kiosk in Sainsbury's in Downside Bridge Road, Cobham.

Afterwards in the car park they said she had dropped a banknote before the woman took her purse and put £10 inside but removed the debit card. The pair then used the card to withdraw £180.

At 2.35pm Waitrose in West Byfleet the woman told an elderly man that he had dropped £10 and asked if he had change.

The woman looked through his wallet with him to see if he had any change and took his credit card. The suspects tried to withdraw £300 but entered the wrong pin number.

Police want to speak with a dark-haired woman, in her 30s, who looked Mediterranean and was wearing a bright pink scarf and long dark coat.

The white man, in his 30s, had short dark hair and a green jumper, khaki blazer, blue jeans and white trainers.

PC Hayden Barwick said: "This couple has deliberately targeted elderly people and already got away with a significant amount of cash.

"They must be stopped before they dupe any more vulnerable members of our local communities.

"I would like to urge people to stay vigilant when they are out and about, particularly when they are using their cash cards in public places and please remember to always shield your PIN number."

Anyone with information should call PC Barwick at Surrey Police on 101, quoting crime reference WK/13/2024, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.