September 1, 2017 1.33 pm This story is over 77 months old

Warrant issued for suspected Lincoln High Street handbag thief

A judge has issued an arrest warrant for a man accused of an attempted handbag snatch in Lincoln High Street after he failed to appear at court. Tony Benge, 31, from the Monks Road area of Lincoln, was charged with theft from a person following the incident on Tuesday July 18. Man charged after woman’s…

A judge has issued an arrest warrant for a man accused of an attempted handbag snatch in Lincoln High Street after he failed to appear at court.

Tony Benge, 31, from the Monks Road area of Lincoln, was charged with theft from a person following the incident on Tuesday July 18.

Benge was due to be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court this morning (Fri) but failed to attend.

Judge John Pini QC issued an arrest warrant for Benge after his barrister Neil Sands confirmed that he had been unable to contact him.

Witnesses had described how a suspect was chased down the street by two good samaritans following the incident at around 10.45am.

It was claimed that a man had grabbed a woman’s handbag outside of the Pandora shop and had been seen running in the direction of St Mary Le Wigford Church.

Two men then grabbed the thief and pinned him to the ground while waiting for police to arrive.

The woman was reunited with her handbag.