An attempted robbery and a robbery which happened within 10 minutes of each other may have been linked, police have said.
Officers are appealing for witnesses to the two incidents, which happened on Thursday, December 13, and involved attempts to snatch handbags.
The first incident, the attempted robbery, happened in Cowper Street, Northampton, at 4.40pm.
A 32-year-old woman was followed into the street, where she was attacked by a man who attempted to steal her handbag.
The offender failed to get the bag and ran off towards Shakespeare Road. He is white, 5ft 9ins, with dark eyebrows. He wore a dark hooded jacket, dark hat and a black scarf over his face.
The second incident, the robbery, happened in Melville Street, Northampton about 4.50pm.
A 27-year-old woman was getting out of her car when she was approached by a man who grabbed her handbag.
The woman held on to the bag, but was forced to let go when the offender punched her.
The victim chased the offender, who ran off in the direction of Market Street through the archway into the car park behind The Spread Eagle pub.
The attacker is white with dark hair, between 17 and 20 years old, slim and wore a black or navy jacket and a scarf over his face that had white swirly patterns on it.
The stolen bag was grey faux leather which had a mobile phone, purse and credit cards in.
A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said: “We believe these incidents may be linked due to the location and time and also the approach that was used by the offender.”
Witnesses or anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.