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DETECTIVES INVESTIGATING THEFT OF PASSENGER PROPERTY FROM TRAINS IN SOUTH WEST RELEASE CCTV IMAGES OF FOUR PEOPLE

British Transport Police (BTP) detectives are appealing for the public^s help to identify a number of people in connection with thefts of passenger property from trains in the South West region.

BTP has today released CCTV images of four people, two men and two women, who they believe can help with their enquiries into the thefts which took place between September and November 2009.

Images 1 and 2 show a woman police want to speak to after a passenger^s bag containing sword fencing equipment worth ^1,000 was taken from the vestibule area of a train between Bath Spa and Bradford-on-Avon railway stations at about 6.50pm on Saturday, September 19.

Images 3 and 4 show a man BTP wants to speak to in connection with the theft of a passenger^s purse from her handbag on a train between Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads railway stations between 2.30pm and 2.45pm on Tuesday November 24. It is thought the thief sat in the seat behind the 18-year-old victim and removed the purse containing cash and credit cards from her bag which she had placed on the floor between her feet.

Images 5 and 6 are of a woman officers want to trace in connection with the theft of a passenger^s coat from an overhead luggage rack on board the 11.30hrs Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads service on Thursday 12 November. The male passenger left his overcoat on the overhead luggage rack while he went to the toilet. When he came out of the toilet, his jacket had been removed. The woman police want to speak to in relation to this incident is understood to have left the train at Bath Spa railway station.

Images 7 and 8 show a man who BTP believe can help with their enquiries into the theft of a passenger^s bag from underneath a seat on board a train between Reading and Chippenham rail stations at about 3.30pm on Monday 23 November 2009. There was an attempt to use the victim^s bank cards at a supermarket in Chippenham a short while later. Police believe the man shown in these images can help with their enquiries into the incident.
 
Detective Constable Steve Eyers urged passengers to keep as close an eye as possible on all items of luggage while travelling on the rail network.

DC Eyers said: ^If you can^t keep your luggage other property with you at all times and have to use luggage racks, check it on regular occasions throughout your journey. Keep all valuables out of sight and also beware of placing any bags on floor as thieves may sit behind you on high backed seats and reach underneath the seat in front. Don^t give opportunist thieves an easy option. Everyone should have the right to travel by train without the fear of their property being taken and BTP is doing everything in its power to find those responsible for such incidents.^

DETECTIVES INVESTIGATING THEFT OF PASSENGER PROPERTY FROM TRAIN ISSUE CCTV IMAGES AND RE-APPEAL FOR INFORMATION

British Transport Police (BTP) detectives are re-appealing for the public^s help to identify a man they want to speak to in connection with the theft of passenger property from a train between Reading and Chippenham rail stations.

Officers released CCTV images of the man in the South West region earlier this month but as yet have been unable to identify him.

They now believe he may have travelled into the South West region from another part of the country using the rail network.

The CCTV images show a man who BTP believe can help with their enquiries into the theft of a passenger^s bag from underneath a seat on board a train between Reading and Chippenham rail stations at about 3.30pm on Monday 23 November 2009.

There was an attempt to use the victim^s bank cards at a supermarket in Chippenham a short while later.

Detective Constable Steve Eyers urged passengers to keep as close an eye as possible on all items of luggage while travelling on the rail network.

DC Eyers said: ^If you can^t keep your luggage other property with you at all times and have to use luggage racks, check it on regular occasions throughout your journey. Keep all valuables out of sight and also beware of placing any bags on floor as thieves may sit behind you on high backed seats and reach underneath the seat in front. Don^t give opportunist thieves an easy option. Everyone should have the right to travel by train without the fear of their property being taken and BTP is doing everything in its power to find those responsible for such incidents.^

Anyone who knows the identity of any of the people pictured, or their whereabouts, is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, quoting log reference 379 of 23/11/2010.