THE last photographs a grieving daughter had of her late mother were stolen when a sneak thief took her mobile phone from a shopping basket.

Police have released a photograph of the suspect in the hope of reuniting the victim with the missing pictures.

At 2pm on Thursday the 23-year-old woman, from Seaford, was shopping in Morrisons in St James's Street, Brighton when she put her mobile phone in the basket with her shopping and went to the self-service checkout.

Another woman took the phone out of the basket while the victim wasn't looking.

The thief is white, in her mid-20s to early-30s, of slim build, with medium length blonde hair tied back which had black roots showing.

She wore glasses, flat shoes, a blue parka with furry hood, a grey scarf which was wrapped around her, a skirt and dark coloured tights.

PC Russ Watson said; "The mobile phone itself, a Samsung 5 Android with a red case, is expensive but replaceable.

"The real loss felt by the victim is that the phone contains personal sentimental photographs of her recently deceased mother.

"These photographs are of course irreplaceable and their loss has cause significant upset for the victim who desperately wants to retrieve them.   

"If you know who this woman is, or if you can help in any other way, please contact us via 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting serial 776 of 23/02."