text: Police are hunting a thief who stole an 86-year old woman's handbag while she prayed at church on Good Friday. The man posed as a member of the congregation of St James' church in the Gorton area of Manchester to carry out the crime. As well as taking one bag, he tried to steal the contents of two other elderly women's bags before fleeing. Police have released an e-fit and CCTV footage after a thief stole a pensioner's handbag from a church . The thief sat down in a pew next to the 86-year-old for the Good Friday service earlier this month. After grabbing the bag, he targeted an 82-year-old woman but she was alerted when she heard him rustling in her purse. As he fled the church, the thief tried to snatch the handbag from a third woman, also aged 86. But instinctively the woman pushed the thief away as he tried to pull the bag from her shoulder and he ran off. Police have described the incident on April 3 as 'appalling' and have released an e-fit image of the suspected offender. They are appealing to anyone who recognises him to come forward. The thief is described as being a white man, in his 40s of a medium build and wearing a grey hooded top. The incident happened at St James' church in the Gorton area of Manchester on April 3 . Det Con Dave Bennett of Greater Manchester Police said: 'The actions of this underhand and sneaky thief are so shocking that I have no doubt people who live in this area, particularly those who worship at this church, will be very angry. 'He used an important date in the religious calendar and within the sanctity of the church grounds to target elderly women who had simply gone to the church to mark Good Friday.' He added: 'Not only did he pinch one woman's bag, but he also tried to steal two other handbags and was only stopped in his tracks thanks to the vigilance of two of the women. 'It is a sinister, cowardly and disrespectful crime and we need to find the man responsible before he can target anyone else, whether they will elderly people or those attending at the church. 'We have released an accurate likeness of this offender and I would urge people to look very carefully at the image. If you recognise who this man is then please do the right thing and call us. 'Alternatively, I would urge people to be vigilant and if you think you see this man, then please call us straight away.'
target: Man sat next to the 86-year-old woman in church pew in Manchester .
  He then stole her handbag and tried to snatch two other women's bags .
  Police investigating  have described the April 3 incident as 'appalling'
  They have released an e-fit of the man and are appealing for information .