Detectives in Worthing are hunting a teenage handbag snatcher who targets elderly women and gets away on a mountain bike.

A spate of incidents in and around Worthing town centre could be linked to a youth who is believed to have injured himself and damaged his bike after being run over while escaping from the latest theft.

Aged about 16 or 17, he is slim with dark hair.

In at least two of the incidents he wore dark clothing.

Sergeant Ian Kerr said: "The offences have occurred mainly in the town centre and our town centre team and all district officers are on alert."

In the latest incident, on Thursday at 11.48am, a pensioner was at the junction of Clifton Road and Richmond Road when a man cycled up behind and snatched her handbag.

He continued up Clifton Road before being hit by a van, causing him to drop the bag.

He was thought to have been injured and was seen running off limping.

His bike had a buckled rear wheel.

Last Thursday, at about 4pm, another elderly woman was walking home from the town centre in Tarring Road when a white man on a bicycle came up behind her and snatched her black shopping bag from her shoulder.

He continued down Howard Street and the woman lost sight of him.

Last Monday, at 9.45am, a pensioner was riding her bike in Cambridge Road when a cyclist approached from behind and tried to snatch her handbag, which was secured to her bicycle in a front basket.

The thief did not get the bag but in the struggle the victim fell off her bike and injured her arm.

At 11am on August 23, a 94-year-old woman's bag was snatched in Clifton Road, Worthing, by a young man on a bicycle.

Witnesses should contact Worthing Police on 0845 6070999.