A local woman has spoken out after she was targeted by thieves in the centre of town, stating that she feels that central Reading has become very dangerous. 

Sharon, who is a long-term resident of Whitley, said that she was out shopping with family when a group of women tried to pickpocket her. 

"I went into town to do a bit of shopping with my daughter and was sitting on the stone benches outside The Oracle on Broad Street," she said. 

"As I was sitting I noticed these two women come up near us. They felt too close you know? So I instantly knew something was going on."

Sharon said that the women's behaviour made her suspicious so she moved her shopping bags by her feet so she could keep a better eye on them. 

"They then dispersed a bit and went to speak to a third woman," Sharon continued. 

Her daughter then came out of the shop she had been in and started talking to Sharon and put her bag down by the pair. 

One of the women then walked back up to the group and got uncomfortably close once again. 

"I saw out of the side of my eye that she was there. She started bending down to look into my shopping bags like she was ready to grab it and go," she said. 

Sharon then started vocalising her concerns to her daughter whilst looking at what the woman was doing. The group of women then left once they were aware that Sharon had spotted them. 

Sharon went on to say that she is concerned about the current situation in the town centre, and feels that it is becoming increasingly dangerous. 

"I asked other businesses in the area if they were aware of the pickpockets and they said that they were," she said. 

Sharon did not report the incident to the police as she felt that as the woman had not actually managed to steal anything she did not think there were grounds for an arrest. 

"The begging in the town centre is also getting out of control. There are just gangs of them everywhere, and a lot of them aren't even homeless," she said.

"A lot of them also pretend to have things wrong with them when they don't. I really do not mind people saying the Big Issue and always give them money. I think the Big Issue is a good cause."