A 49-year-old Warwick woman chased and tried in vain to beat off a thief who snatched her bag from a doctor?s office on Friday afternoon.

Police spokesman Dwayne Caines said the woman was working at her desk at the Woodbourne Hall office at about 4 p.m. when the man walked into the reception area.

Mr. Caines said he walked past patients and snatched her handbag from a chair next to her desk. He said the woman chased after the man as he fled the scene and managed to grab hold of his left arm, however the man pushed her off with a hard shove to the face.

Undaunted, the woman chased the man downstairs and out of the building where she confronted him again in the cycle parking bay and tried to stop him from leaving on a scooter, injuring her left pinkie finger in the process.

Mr. Caines said despite the woman?s best efforts, the culprit made good his escape, turning right on Woodbourne Avenue.

The handbag contained an undisclosed amount of cash and other personal items.

The suspect is described as a 5ft 8in tall black man in his 40s, of medium build with unkempt hair and a cigarette in his mouth and was wearing a black padded jacked at the time.

The Warwick woman was treated for a broken left pinkie finger.

Inquiries into the incident are underway and Police are appealing for any witnesses to the incident, or anyone with information to contact the Hamilton Criminal Investigation Unit on 295-0011.

Meanwhile Police are investigating two cases of breaking and entering in Warwick and Devonshire at the weekend.