A BULGARIAN woman targeted a female who had just withdrawn £600 for her holiday spending money.

Blackburn magistrates heard Totka Yordanova followed the woman from the bank and waited for her chance to steal the cash from her bag.

The theft occurred in November 2016 but Yordanova went missing until she was arrested as she arrived at Manchester Airport as she returned from a trip home.

Yordanova, 30, of Norman Road, Huddersfield, pleaded guilty to stealing £600 from Maud Finch.

She was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 15 days' rehabilitation activity requirement, ordered to do 40 hours' unpaid work and pay £600 compensation.

Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said Mrs Finch and her husband had been to a building society and withdrawn £600 which they were going to exchange for for holiday spending money.

The money was in an envelope which she placed in her bag.

CCTV footage showed Yordanova following the couple from the building society to the British Heart Foundation charity shop in Blackburn and she later admitted following them and removing the envelope.

The court heard Yordanova had sent some of the money home to pay a solicitor who was trying to win custody of her child. She had a previous caution for “dipping” a purse.

Aftab Bakhat, defending, said Yordanova worked at a car wash and as a domestic cleaner and was still trying to get custody of her daughter.

“There is genuine remorse on her part,” said Mr Bakhat.