Gangs of Eastern European pickpockets are operating in the Bradford area, police have warned.

The problem has become so bad that officers have been handing out hundreds of security chains which can be attached to purses or wallets.

Traders have also been put on alert following a wave of crimes - many of which have occurred as people browse in shops.

Sergeant Khalid Khan, of Shipley Neighbourhood Policing Team, blamed the thefts on organised gangs who travel from outside the area, predominantly targeting elderly or vulnerable women.

He said the pickpocket gangs use a range of tactics, including causing a distraction while another takes a purse or wallet.

"It isn't just Shipley town centre that suffers from this, but in any busy area," he said.

"Predominantly, the suspects have been Eastern European, but there have been other suspects as well." Police are working with the Shipley Business Watch in the town to raise awareness among shops and customers.

One victim was Marjorie Hartley, 61, whose purse was snatched in the Cancer Research UK charity shop in Market Square, Shipley.

Her daughter, Victoria Hartley, said her mother was in the shop when she noticed her purse was missing from her handbag.

She said: "She can remember somebody brushing up beside her and later, when she looked in her bag, her purse was gone.

"She only got out of a wheelchair four weeks ago after major surgery on her leg.

"I left her for ten minutes and this happened.

"The shop said they have no CCTV because it was stolen and that this happened to a woman last week as well."

Sgt Khan said hundreds of the security chains had now been handed out to try to stem the tide of thefts. And officers were trawling through CCTV footage to try to identify the culprits.

He said: "It is a question of targeting offenders and making the public aware.

"We have stop-checked potential suspects in the town centre on a number of occasions and made it very clear why we have stopped them.

"It does seem to have a positive reaction when we do take these actions - but to arrest somebody you need evidence and so that is what we are trying to gather."

Sergeant Aidan Hodgson, of Bradford City Neighbourhood Policing Team, said there had also been a surge of reports of purse thefts in the city centre for a period of a month and a half.

He said: "We don't have enough intelligence to say it is the same group as in Shipley - but it is groups of three or four who target any retail area that is busy.

"When they have had a bit of success it seems that they move on.

"It is very difficult to make arrests because what they tend to do is, working as a team, the person who steals the purse quickly passes it on to a second person who may pass it on to a third.

"They are quite well practised in this and the person who we have on CCTV just denies all knowledge.

"The most effective way to tackle them is preventative measures."

Shipley town centre manager Yvonne Crossley said similar pickpocketing gangs were working across the country.

She said: "We have got 25 active users on the Business Watch radio, we work very closely with CCTV and we have been handing out posters.

"It isn't just the elderly people they are targeting - it doesn't matter what age you are, you can be a victim.

"Don't leave your bag anywhere, keep it shut, be aware of your surroundings and carry as little as possible with you."

Anyone with information about pickpockets in Shipley should contact Sgt Khan on 0845 6060606 or (01274) 537454.