The first happened at the Salvation Army Charity shop in Whitley Road between 11.15am and 11.30am when a 75-year-old local woman customer had her purse stolen from her shoulder bag containing £25.

A second was reported at the St Oswald's Hospice shop in Whitley Road at 11.20am.

A 59-year-old woman customer from Durham had her purse stolen from her shoulder bag containing £200.

A third theft was reported at the Mind shop in Whitley Road also at around 11.30am.

An 80-year-old local woman was in the shop when a young women bumped into her.

A short time later she discovered her purse containing £130 had been stolen.

Police said they have a description of a woman who had been seen in both St Oswald's and the Mind charity shop shortly before the thefts were discovered.

She is described as a white woman in her early 20s, around 5ft 2ins tall and of very slim build with fair hair.

She was wearing a pale green sleeved top/dark zipped casual jacket and spoke with a local accent.

Detective Inspector Geoff Forsyth of North Shields CID said: "We want to make people aware that purses have been stolen from charity shop customers and ask shoppers to take particular care to prevent other thefts.

"It is particularly heartless that someone would target people who try to help charities by spending their money in shops which are run in order to help support charities.

"We appeal for help from the public in finding the person responsible for these thefts.

"If anyone has any information, in particular if they recognise the woman in the description, they are asked to contact police on 03456 043043 ext 63126."