CALLOUS conmen tricked a woman in to getting out of her car before snatching £2,000 from her handbag.

The crooks watched the woman withdraw her wages from Barclays, in Market Pavement, Basildon, before following her through town to the Euro car park, in Great Oaks.

As the victim, aged in her sixties, got in to her car, one of the conmen banged on her window to tell her something was wrong with her vehicle.

The victim got out to look, but while she was distracted a second crook opened the car’s passenger door and took an envelope containing the £2,000 cash from her handbag, before both the crooks ran off.

The woman’s son, who does not want to be identified, said: “At first my mum was suicidal.

She was just devastated.

“She keeps saying to us she would rather have given the money away to charity, than have it stolen in this way.

“It is reallyworrying. We want anyone who recognises this pair to call the police so this cannot happen to anyone else.”

The incident happened at about 4pm, on September 11.

Essex Police have released video stills of two men they would like to speak to in connection with the incident.

The con started in Barclays bank when the two tricksters spotted the victim withdrawing £2,000.

She put an envelope containing the money into her handbag and went to Marks and Spencers and then Wilkinsons, to do some shopping.

It is believed the pair followed her around town.

The victim then went back to the Euro car park opposite Basildon police station, where she had left her car.

The woman’s son said: “My mum got in to her car when this man came and tapped on her window and said, ‘there is something stuck to your car’.

“She got out to look, but in the meantime another man opened the passenger door and took the envelope out of her bag.

“We have viewed CCTV footage with the police and you can see two men following her through town.”

Anyone with information about the incident can call PC Caroline Green, at Basildon police station, on 101.