I am 73 years old and recently took my friend's dog to Falmer Pond for a walk.

After walking around the pond, instead of going straight back to my car and then home, I sat about ten feet from it. I heard a funny click-bang, looked round at my vehicle and saw two cars had pulled up behind it but hadn't driven into it so I took no more notice.

But on returning to my car, I noticed lock on the passenger door was broken. I looked under the dog's bed in the well behind my seat and found my bag had gone.

I drove home as quickly as possible and rang the bank to cancel my bank card but every penny had already been withdrawn.

I did not realise my home had also been burgled because only those things which were hidden from view had been taken.

The burglars even stole a box of photos - I suppose they thought there might have been money in it. The photos have probably been thrown away but I can never replace them. One, of my mum when she was a little girl, was 100 years old.

I wanted to write to warn people not to leave their bags in their cars however well they are hidden and not to keep your pin number in your bag, either.

I have a new pin number now, one I could never forget so it's not written down anywhere.

I always thought scum such as the people who robbed me didn't go to lovely places like Falmer Pond.

I have been going there for many years but don't think I will again.

-Mrs E Dillon, Rottingdean