A £1,000 reward has been offered by a Scottish daily in a bid to catch a thief who mugged an injured pensioner.

The Press and Journal, Aberdeen, has launched the appeal after hundreds of pounds were stolen by an opportunist thief from a 71-year-old man who had fallen in the street.

It is understood the suspect saw the victim fall and stopped – but rather than help him he took his wallet, containing what police described as a “mid three-figure sum”.

The pensioner was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary by ambulance after other passers-by later found him.

The theft happened at around 7.30pm on Monday, and the appeal was launched on the front page of yesterday’s edition of the paper, pictured above.

The £1,000 is being offered to anyone who can provide information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the thief.

Damian Bates, Press and Journal editor-in-chief, said: “Every right-minded person will be utterly appalled by this.

“If the Press and Journal can help in some small way to catch the culprit then we’ll do everything in our power to do so.

“A reward seems a small price to pay to bring the person responsible to justice.”