A HOSPITAL nurse has told of the terrifying moment she tried to restrain a pickpocket who stole her phone from her jacket while she was shopping in Festival Place.

The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, was shopping for clothes in New Look at midday on Tuesday when she became aware of her phone moving in her jacket pocket.

She went to take it out thinking it was vibrating with someone trying to call her but found it had gone.

The nurse who works at Basingstoke hospital said she noticed a woman right behind her and realised she must have taken the phone from her pocket.

The 26-year-old, from Oakridge, told the Gazette: “There were so many people in there and if I had waited any longer, she would have been gone. I went to approach her and when she noticed I was going to approach her she threw my phone on the floor.”

Acting on instinct, the courageous nurse grabbed hold of the woman’s arm to restrain her, while shouting at other shoppers to call for help.

However, the nurse was shocked when the other customers carried on shopping.

She said: “I called for help and shouted, ‘she’s a thief she stole my phone’. That was the worst part because no one was doing anything. They looked at me and kept looking at the clothes. It was so frustrating. There were kids and families and I didn’t want anyone to help me hold her but they just needed to go and get an employee and let them know there had been an incident.”

The pickpocket then tried to fight off her victim, pushing her away and scratching her hand.

“When she noticed no one was coming to help she got aggressive so I had to let go,” said the nurse, who said the woman ran off towards Tesco. 

She described the woman as Eastern European, aged in her 30s, tall and slim with long dark black hair.

“There was probably not much security could do because she gave my phone back, but at least they would have seen who she was in case she did it again,” said the woman.

She now wants to raise awareness of the incident in the hope of preventing others suffering the same and said: “I want to do something to let people know that this is happening in Basingstoke. I didn’t expect this to happen. You go to tourist destinations and are aware of the risk of pickpockets, but not in Festival Place.

“It was scary because I didn’t know what was going to happen, if she was going to get violent or if someone else was with her. I had adrenaline going through me but I was also frustrated because no one did anything.”

The incident was reported to New Look staff and Festival Place. However, the woman said she gave up trying to report the matter to the police after calling 101 and continuously getting cut-off.

Festival Place and Hampshire Constabulary have been asked for a comment.