A 70-year-old widower had his ring stolen by a callous thief almost three years after his wife passed away.

Denis Taggart, 70, was stood outside his home in Prince Charles Way, Wallington, when a woman came up to him and began to ask for money.

He said: “When I pulled out outside my house an Asian lady ran up to me and asked me for some money to help her get home. I thought I’d help her out so I gave her a couple of quid and she shook my hand.

“Then as she was walking away I noticed that my signet ring was gone so I chased after her. She dived into a car and they made off.”

Officers told Mr Taggart he was lucky not to catch the woman as others could have got out of the car and ‘given him a good hiding’.

The theft happened at about 2.30pm on Tuesday, November 22.

The pensioner was given the ring, estimated to be worth about £2,000, by his wife Angela who died from a brain tumour in December 2013, aged 67.

Mr Taggart described the moment his wife gave him the ring as being a ‘special memory’ when he spoke to the Sutton Guardian.

He said: “It was a gift for a special occasion, what that was I can’t remember exactly, but we saw it in the shop and she told me to turn around and that was when she bought it for me. It happened about 15 years ago and is a special memory.

A spokesman from Sutton police said: “The woman is described as being of Asian appearance, aged 35-40, about 5ft 5in, of medium build.

“She was wearing a sari. The victim’s ring had been given to him by his late wife.”

If you have any information call Sutton police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.