Police believe three handbag attacks linked

Police in Christchurch believe three attacks on women for their handbags are linked.

They are looking for a dark blue vehicle and at least two men after a series of attacks in the city yesterday.

The first happened about 2.30pm when a man leapt out of a car and snatched a handbag from a young Japanese tourist as she walked near the corner of Armagh St and Madras St in the inner city.

Police said the man ripped the woman's bag from her and tried to grab a box she was carrying.

The bag was handed in to police later, but several items were missing.

About 7pm a woman had her bag snatched outside a central city supermarket in Moorhouse Ave, and 20 minutes later a similar incident was reported at a suburban Riccarton supermarket.

"In all three cases young women have been targeted and approached from behind," Detective Rachel Jefferies, of Christchurch police, said today.

"In each case the vehicle has a driver and at least one other person, a passenger, who has done the snatching."

Ms Jefferies said all three women described the vehicle as a dark blue or black four-door saloon, possibly a Toyota, with registration plates beginning with "C" or a similar shape.

The woman targeted in the Riccarton incident struggled with her assailant and fell to the ground, but the man managed to wrestle her wallet and cellphone from her.

- NZPA