A PICKPOCKET stole a 76-year-old's wallet containing his £300 pension — outside a supermarket.

Roy Gray had just collected his pension for the week and been shopping at Lidl, in Derby Street, before he was targeted by a thief at a nearby bus stop.

Mr Gray said a man waiting at the bus stop had pushed into him and then stole his wallet without him realising.

The wallet was kept in a pocket of his jacket, which Mr Gray suspects the thief unzipped.

Last week, police launched Operation Buckbarrow, after a spate of thefts from pensioners in Bolton.

Between July 6 and 23, 12 similar thefts were reported to police, with the offenders in each case described as being of Eastern European origin.

It is not known whether the July 13 incident at 11am involving Mr Gray is linked — but the man who targeted Mr Gray is also described as Eastern European.

Mr Gray said: "I was at the checkout and he must have seen the wallet and what was in it.

"Then I went out to the bus stop which is right outside Lidl.

"This guy pushed very close to me.

"I did not do any more shopping — I just went straight for the bus and went home.

"Then I realised my wallet was gone. It was very slick looking back at it. He must have practised a fair bit."

The wallet contained most of Mr Gray's weekly pension, which he says he will now have paid into his bank account for security reasons.

Mr Gray, who NOW lives in Breightmet after living in Darcy Lever for much of his life, said he would often put a pile of change on the counter and ask the shop assistant to count out the correct amount, as he was unable to pick out coins.

He added: "I think I would recognise HIM if I saw him again. I'm angry at this character but also at myself.

"He pushed up against me and I should have realised what he was doing."

Mr Gray goes shopping once a week and withdraws his weekly pension from the Post Office in Deansgate.

Police are investigating the theft.