A Southall shopkeeper said she was angry when police failed to show up for ten days after thieves stole about £3,000 from her store.
Nasreen Khan, co-owner of Rai Newsagents in Lady Margaret Road, was the victim of a distraction theft on Saturday October 11. Her bag, containing thousands in takings, was taken from behind the counter.
She called police the next day but it wasn't until yesterday, that a PCSO came to collect vital CCTV footage.
Mrs Khan said: "I'm just really angry. We're paying our taxes and expect some kind of protection.
"I appreciate there's not much police can do once the theft has happened, but I told them we have CCTV footage to give them and no-one came to collect it until Tuesday.
"I got a phonecall on Tuesday morning from a detective in Acton saying he was investigating it and he had only been given the case that morning. In those ten days the thieves could have done over loads of shops."
The footage, taken at about 2pm, clearly shows a man distracting Mrs Khan at the till while two other people manage to move the bag from behind the counter and out of the store.
Mrs Khan, along with husband Tabassum, gave a statement over the phone and was given an incident number.
A spokesman for Ealing Police said: "We are investigating a non-dwelling burglary which occurred at newsagents on Lady Margaret Road in Southall.
"An Asian female had her handbag stolen from behind the shop counter, where customers are not permitted.
"The investigation is ongoing. Police will view the CCTV tapes and seek to identify the suspects. "
At the time of going to press, a spokesman for Ealing Police said there were no arrests.
See the CCTV footage exclusively here .
