South Yorkshire Times, January 29, 1949
Woman Robbed
Bag-Snatcher’s Get-away at Conisbrough
A man who came up behind Mrs. Kate Appleyard, wife of Mr Harry Appleyard, March Street, Conisbrough, late on Saturday night and snatched her handbag got away with £6 5s. in silver and copper. Mrs. Appleyard, whose husband is a director of the Globe Cinema, Conisbrough, and a prominent local business man was on her way home from the cinema.
The incident occurred about 10.45 p.m. on waste ground between West Street and March Street. Mrs. Appleyard was only a few yards from home. She gave chase, but the man aged about 35 escaped. He left 3s. 7 ½ d. behind him. however.
This sum fell from the handbag as he made off, and was discovered later on the waste land.
Some of the money in Mrs. Appleyard’s bag represented some of the takings from the day’s performances at the cinema, consisting of ” over-plus” and change. The main proceeds had, of course, been deposited earlier in the evening in the night safe at a Conisbrough bank.
Part of the money in the bag was wrapped in a calico bank bag, the remainder in smaller bags and paper.
The handbag, brown in colour, is 10 inches by eight inches, embossed with a dog’s head. It has a zip-fastener, torn at the top, and also in the bag were a pair of navy blue gloves and some private papers.
The man disappeared into the Cooperative Society passage and made his get-away on West Street. Mrs. Appleyard appealed to a pedestrian to accompany her in pursuit, but the man declined. This man was dressed in a raincoat and the ‘South Yorkshire Times’ understands that Conisbrough police would be grateful if he would communicate with them.
Mrs. Appleyard called upon two other pedestrians, Mr, Thorpe, Don Street Conisbrough, and his friend, and they went to her assistance, but the miscreant could not be found,
Conisbrough Police were informed very soon after the attack and acted promptly. They were very quickly on the scene and are continuing their enquiries.