72yo woman in hospital after handbag grab

A 72-year-old woman required hospital treatment after a man snatched her handbag while she was shopping in south Auckland.

The woman was returning to her car at Hunters Plaza in Papatoetoe when the handbag was grabbed while it was on her arm.

"The victim tried to hold on to the bag with the offender then violently pulling it from her grip and causing her to fall to the ground and hit her head," Detective Sergeant Trevor Donaghy said.

"As result of the offender's actions the victim received a serious head wound and bruising which required hospitalisation."

Mr Donaghy said the offender was described as a Maori or Polynesian man wearing a dirty white hoodie and grey trousers.

- NZPA