posed as a member of the congregation of st james ' church in the gorton area of manchester to carry out the crime .
the thief sat down in a pew next to the 86-year-old for the good friday service .
after grabbing the bag , he targeted an 82-year-old woman but she was alerted when she heard him rustling in her purse .
as he fled the church , the thief tried to snatch the handbag from a third woman , also aged 86 .