An elderly man whose credit card was stolen by a pickpocket wants more protection from the police.

Joe Goldberg, 86, had been shopping in Iceland, in Shenley Road, on Wednesday February 3.

At around 1pm he was approached by a man as he put his shopping in his car.

The man stood “inches away” from Mr Goldberg’s face and kept asking where the train station was.

After directing the man to Elstree and Borehamwood station, Mr Goldberg felt something was odd about his encounter.

He checked his pockets and found his credit card and Tesco club card had been stolen.

He said: “I was targeted. It’s quite disgusting that old aged pensioners have to be so careful in their last years.

“I want to make people aware that elderly people are being targeted and they need to be so careful.

“I wasn’t upset that it had happened but I was more annoyed. Annoyed that elderly people of the town are being targeted like this.

Mr Goldberg, a former Elstree and Borehamwood town councillor and mayor, added: “I know it has happened in Tesco car park and it will happen again. Something needs to be done about it.

“The man was watching me as I was shopping in Iceland and he must have seen me put me card in my pocket.

“Luckily I cancelled my card straight away but there are some people who would not be able to do that.”

After the theft Mr Goldberg went to report the crime to the police.

As there is no longer a police station in Borehamwood town, he used the phone next to the Civic Offices, in Elstree Way.

“I picked up the phone and a lady answered,” Mr Goldberg said.

“She told me that they do not have facilities for the public and the nearest one is in Watford, and She also said that they have no-one who could speak to me until 9.30pm.

“I said that was okay and the constable that came to see me around that time was great. He took a statement and I gave a description of the man.

“But there was no-one to talk to around the area at the time. That’s a big problem.

“If there were some police on the beat I could have reported it quicker and the man might have been caught.

“I am not criticising the police force but more the cuts that the government has done.”