POLICE are hunting teenage thieves who reached into a taxi and stole a girl's handbag early on Saturday.

The 16-year-old girl, who has not been named, was sitting in a taxi on Grange Road, Middlesbrough, on the junction with Linthorpe Road, when a thief leaned in and snatched her handbag.

The girl struggled, but the thieves ran off towards the post office with the bag. Witnesses chased them, but the pair escaped.

The thieves were described as being 14 to 15 years old, both with slim builds.

The first had dark brown hair, was wearing a grey zipped top with a broad blue stripe down the sleeve, grey bottoms and white trainers. The second was wearing a grey woolly hat with two horizontal stripes, a light grey top and bottoms.

The girl was not injured but her black and grey handbag, which contained a blue purse, bank cards, £15 cash and a mobile phone, has not been recovered.

Police want to speak to the witnesses who chased the youths and anyone else with information. They should call Gerald Ironside on (01642) 303126 with any information.