Police hunt heartless thief dubbed 'the Hounslow Hugger' because she embraces her elderly victims before wrestling their jewellery from them CCTV footage shows the mugger steal from a 78-year-old woman on the street Kisses her on the cheek and then grabs her neck and wrenches a necklace off Footage from another incident shows a woman steal from an elderly lady in her own homeBy Isabella Nikolic For Mailonline Published: 15:57 BST, 24 May 2019 | Updated: 17:50 BST, 24 May 2019 2 Viewcomments Police are hunting a woman who has been dubbed the 'Hounslow hugger' because she embraces her elderly victims before stealing their jewellery. The thief, who preys on the elderly around Hounslow in west London, is feared to have stolen from at least eight people in residential streets, and even stole from a woman inside her own home. Shocking CCTV footage, from April 4, shows a woman in a car pull up alongside a 78-year-old lady about to walk through her front gate. Police are hunting a woman who has been dubbed the 'Hounslow hugger' because she embraces her elderly victims before stealing their jewellery. Shocking CCTV footage, from April 4, shows a woman in a car pull up alongside a 78-year-old lady about to walk through her front gate She eventually gets out of the car and goes up to the old woman and grabs her by the neck while trying to wrestle a necklace from her. The thief then flees the scene It is believed the thief initially asks for directions but after the elderly woman points further down the road and walks away, the mugger gets out of the car and kisses the woman on the cheek. She then appears to put her hands around the woman's neck to try and take her necklace off. The elderly woman tries to resist but is easily overpowered by the thief, who scurries back to the car and flees with the jewellery. It is feared the mugger has struck again as more footage surfaced of a woman knocking on the front door of an old lady's home on May 4 before kissing her hand. She then wrenches two gold bangles from her wrist and leaves. The victim's daughter told the Evening Standard: 'The same people were targeting her neighbour as she was walked back from shopping and took her chain. 'They were pretending to ask for hospital directions.' Police believe the attacks are linked and that the woman involved is working with accomplices and mainly strikes on the weekend. There have been no arrests and inquiries continue. Anyone with information is asked to call 101 with reference 5355/4APR. Read more: Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility