A PENSIONER who had his wallet stolen while paying for shopping has said the thieves withdrew thousands of pounds from his bank account within half an hour.

Colin Scrivener was shopping with his wife Margaret at the Tollgate Sainsbury’s in Stanway.

He had gone to a cashier to pay for his shopping as he was pushing his wife, who suffered a stroke, in her wheelchair.

Mr Scrivener, 89, said by the time he left the store his wallet had been stolen.

Cash had been withdrawn from his bank before he had even made it home.

Mr Scrivener, from Colchester, said: “I was at the checkout at about 1.19pm and paid by card, then headed for the store exit. At some stage my wallet disappeared. I usually keep hold of my wallet in one hand when I pay.

“It was in my trouser pocket and I thought it was somewhere secure.

“Thinking about it afterwards if I was pushing my wife in the wheelchair my hands would have been in front of me.

“I’m puzzled how they got my wallet and my pin number.”

He said within 30 minutes the card had been traced to Barclays bank in Colchester High Street.

Thousands of pounds had been withdrawn at two separate ATMs in the town.

As his wallet contained his driving licence, the thieves were able to withdraw a larger sum of cash at a self-service machine.

Mr Scrivener, who took up National Service as a youngster, said: “They would have had to know my pin.

“It’s not written down anywhere as it’s part of my old Army number and you don’t forget that.

“They must have been standing close to me to be able to see it.”

He contacted the bank and the police who pointed him in the direction of Action Fraud.

Police have also issued an appeal for information, with CCTV from Barclays of people they would like to speak to.

The wallet is a small black leather card holder which contained a bank card, credit card and driving licence.

The incident happened just before 1.20pm on Wednesday, October 2.

Call police on 101 with information quoting the crime reference number 42/158383/19.