Pensioner won big on horses – and was then robbed of £950

A pensioner was left in “shock” after being robbed of nearly £1,000 at a betting shop this week.The man, who does not wish to be named, says he had just secured a “very good win” at Ladbrokes in Lynn on Wednesday.He claims a young man approached him at the Tower Street premises on Wednesday before snatching £950, which included two weeks worth of his pension and winnings from betting on three horses.

The victim believes the perpetrator had just lost £1,500 of his own money.“He was a regular for the past three weeks, and has been putting money in like there is no tomorrow,” he said.“He saw me go up to the counter and get the bundle of cash. I put it in my pocket, and he just walked by me and thrusted his hand my pocket and ran like hell.” A police spokeswoman confirmed officers were called to reports of a robbery following the incident.“A man approached an elderly man on Tower Street and took cash from his pocket at around 2.15pm,” she said. “Enquiries are ongoing.”The victim believes Ladbrokes will have CCTV footage of the incident which can identify the robber.He believes the crime is a symptom of an increasing gambling problem in Lynn thanks to the opening of more and more betting premises – something this newspaper has covered extensively in recent months.“That is the first bit of luck I have had on the horses in a long while,” he added.