The driver of the vehicle told police the woman who stole her handbag in the early hours of Friday morning was “approximately 40 years old” with short, cropped hair, “bad breath” and a coarse voice.

She said the woman, who police allege is Woonona woman Chantell Gordon, was wearing a shiny, triangle-shaped bra, long baggy track pants and looked like a “dirty old junkie hooker”.

“Upon hearing the victim’s description of the accused, police were on the opinion it was Chantell Gordon,” police said in a statement tendered to court on Friday.

The victim told officers she was on her way to pick up a friend from the Open Hearth Hotel when she saw a woman staggering on the roadway and, believing it might be her friend, stopped to pick her up.

Gordon allegedly opened the door and asked for a lift, at which time the victim realised it wasn’t her friend and refused.

It is alleged Gordon grabbed the woman’s bag from the front seat and ran off with it.

The woman contacted police, who tracked Gordon to Cowper Street where she was positively identified.

Gordon was arrested and charged with stealing.

Magistrate Imad Abdul-Karim released Gordon on strict conditional bail on Friday afternoon, ordering her to report daily to police and abstain from using alcohol or drugs.

He also gave police permission to carry out drug and alcohol testing of Gordon up to four times a week while she is on bail. 

The case returns to court in January.