A business owner and grandmother whose bag was stolen at a local supermarket has spoken of her ordeal.

Ipswich salon owner of twenty-nine years, Julie Debenham had her handbag containing her purse, keys and a white iPhone 5 stolen from her trolley whilst buying lunch at a supermarket for her grandson on Wednesday August 15.

The incident took place at the Aldi on Hines Road, at 11:55am and left Mrs Debenham feeling shaken.

“I feel silly and vulnerable,” she said.

“You don’t expect to be going through your local supermarket and have someone waiting to pounce on you.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Julie Debenham with her daughter Joanne Holmes and grandchildren Joshua and Sophie Picture: JOANNE HOLMESJulie Debenham with her daughter Joanne Holmes and grandchildren Joshua and Sophie Picture: JOANNE HOLMES (Image: Archant)

She continued: “The thought of a stranger going through my bag makes me feel sick, disregarding items that are so precious to me.”

The bag stolen from Mrs Debenham was a replica Prada bag bought from Turkey and also contained a memento from her mother Marion who died three years ago.

Mrs Debenham said: “It’s gone now - when you lose something of someone that you’ve already lost it feels like losing them all over again. It’s her national insurance card and having it just made me feel like I was keeping her with me.”

CCTV footage from the supermarket showed a woman holding a basket with a loaf of bread in it and following Mrs Debenham through the market before taking the bag from her trolley.

The woman is of stocky build with bleached blonde hair, dark roots and an olive complexion. She was wearing a black shirt with polka dots.

Mr Debenham said: “You can let these sorts of people get at you or you can rise above it.

“There are some good people out there so you can’t just put everyone in one basket. Saying that, the people who do this kind of thing just don’t realise what an impact it can have on your life.”

The family would be grateful if nearby residents could check their gardens in case the thief has disposed of the bag by throwing it into a garden. Anyone with more information has been asked to contact Suffolk Police quoting reference SC/15082018/210.