MANCHESTER — Police are asking for the public's help catching a man suspected of going on a credit-card-fueled spending spree after stealing pocketbooks from two nuns, along with items being prepared for sale at a charity fair.

The nuns are members of the Sisters of the Holy Cross.

A nun, working with maintenance employees to set up the fair for the order's health center, noticed her pocketbook, containing a credit card, had been taken.

Police were immediately called, and the credit card company was notified to cancel the account. Before the call was made, the thief used the card four times to conduct business with local merchants.

While police were taking a report about the first stolen pocketbook, a second nun approached to report the disappearance of her purse.

The second nun also told police a maintenance worker had been standing in her office without any purpose for being there. Some time later she also found that her purse had been taken.

In addition to the stolen pocketbooks, an X-Box 360 and lottery scratch tickets, among other items, being readied for display at the fair were taken.

Police have released a surveillance photo of the suspect, taken as he used the credit card in a local store. Anyone with any information concerning his identity contact Manchester police Det. David Dupont at 668-8711, ext. 399.