A WOMAN who had her purse stolen as she took the bus home from a shopping trip has praised police who caught the thief.

The 91-year-old - who has asked not to be named - was getting the U1 from Uxbridge High Street to her home in Ruislip, when she was offered a seat by a girl who police believe was seeking to distract her.

When she got off the bus, the woman discovered her purse was missing. After a hunt, the driver found it but all cash and debit cards were missing.

Within a week, the culprit was traced, arrested and taken to court.

Toni Pullen, 21, of Dovedale Close, Harefield, was arrested in Kilburn on July 6 having tried to use the victim's bus pass.

She appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court just one day later, where she was fined £65, sentenced to one day in jail and ordered to pay £200 costs.

The victim told the Gazette: "The police get a hard time, but credit where credit's due. I will never regain the money but I felt it was only right to praise the police.

"I was visited twice by them, once to take the details and once to tell me they had found a culprit."