Police are advising people to be aware of chain snatch thieves and to keep jewellery out of sight

The warning is being re-iterated after two women walking near the river Lea, alongside the Ferry Lane Estate, N17 had their gold neck chains snatched by males on bicycles, within moments of each other.

In each case the victims were left with reddening to their necks but did not require hospital treatment.

At about 1230 hours a 53 year-old woman was walking with her husband south alongside the river Lea, adjacent to Reedham Close on the Ferry Lane Estate, when two males on bicycles cycled towards them on bicycles. As they cycled past, one of them grabbed the woman's gold neck chain.

The suspects are described as being a white male and a black male aged 15 years.

At about 1235 hours a 59 year-old woman was walking along a footpath that runs alongside the Ferry Lane Estate, parralel to the canal. She went through an underpass near the junction with Jarrow Road N17 when two males on push bikes cycled towards her and one of them grabbed her gold neck chain as they went by.

The suspects are described as being two black males aged 20 to 25 years.

Safer Neighbourhoods Team officers and officers from the Transport for London (TfL) funded Haringey Safer Transport Team continue to carry out patrols around the borough’s transport hubs to minimise criminal activity and anti-social behaviour and to reassure commuters and offer crime prevention advice. Officers have been holding crime prevention stalls, providing personal safety and crime prevention leaflets and encouraging the public to contact police if they have any information about crime or where thieves are selling their stolen property.

DS Sean Channing of Haringey CID said:

"Thieves see gold jewellery as cash, due to its high resale value, so we are asking the public to take some basic crime prevention steps, including keeping valuables such as gold chains hidden."

Crime prevention advice:

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to contact DS Sean Channing of Haringey CID on 020 8345 0712.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 if you have information about crime, including robbery offences or anyone involved in handling stolen property.

Make sure your jewellery is not visible.

Plan your journey in advance.

Avoid dark or deserted areas late at night.

Be aware of your surroundings and stay alert to what's going on around you.

Always try and let someone know where you are going, the route you intend to take and when you expect to return.

Try to avoid wearing headphones. These severely restrict your ability to hear traffic, strangers and potential trouble, as well as showing that you might have a phone or music player worth taking.