A woman had her Christmas presents stolen from the boot of her car as she tried to drive home from a supermarket.

Mel Burgess, 47, had been Christmas shopping on November 22, and despite going home, she had kept her families presents in her car so they were still a surprise on Christmas day.

After popping into Tesco in North Cheam and putting more shopping in the boot, she was about to drive off when she saw a man in her rear view mirror rifling through her boot.

Mrs Burgess, who has recently been diagnosed with cancer, opened her car door as the man ran off laughing with her families presents.

Mrs Burgess said: "I went running over the car park, screaming like a banshee, but couldn't catch him, he was laughing, taking the mick as he ran away. There were some kids nearby who took his number plate details, I want to thank them. It was very dark, but the man looked about 6 ft tall, with mousy hair."

In vain Mrs Burgess gave chase but the getaway vehicle - a white Ford pick-up truck - sped away with the loot.

Police are investigating a connection with a similar incident a few days before when a woman had her bag stolen from a petrol station in Wallington.

Two people again got away in a white pick up truck.

The suspect was a woman, aged around 30, who was seen getting into the truck.

A Police spokesman said: "Police are investigating an incident in Tesco car park on Tuesday 22nd November at around 20.10hrs when a woman had a bag of shopping taken from the boot of her car.

"This vehicle is a white Ford Transit recovery truck, which was being driven by a woman."

"On 18th November at 15.45hrs at the Total petrol station, Manor Road, Wallington, a female driver had a bag taken from her car which had been left unlocked whilst she was queuing up to pay for fuel.

The suspect is a white woman, aged about 30, who was seen to get into a Ford pick-up style truck.

If you saw either incident or have any information that could assist enquiries, please contact Sutton Police station on 101."