Elderly Woman Falls Victim to Purse Theft at Aldi, Faces Bank Reimbursement Denial

In a troubling incident in Milnrow, Rochdale, an elderly woman in her 80s had her purse stolen while shopping at Aldi. The theft was captured on CCTV, and the police have issued a crime number. However, the woman, who does not use internet banking, only discovered that £750 had been withdrawn from her account a month later when her bank statement arrived. The bank, Halifax, has refused to reimburse her, citing that her PIN was used at the ATM. The situation raises concerns about the vulnerability of elderly shoppers, as the woman has a consistent shopping routine, making it easy for a thief to follow her and note her PIN. Consumer advocate Helen Crane expressed sympathy for the victim, highlighting that many older individuals share similar shopping habits. She criticized Halifax's stance, noting that the bank's interpretation of negligence in this case seems unfair, especially given the circumstances surrounding the theft. In a separate but related issue, the author of the letter received a parking charge notice from UK CPM for overstaying the time limit at a car park. The firm claimed that the charge was justified based on camera evidence, despite the author contesting the validity of the signage, which appeared to have been altered after the fact. This incident reflects a broader trend of strict enforcement in retail parking areas, often leading to disputes between consumers and parking management companies.