Blind woman shaken after mugging

A young blind woman has been left shaken after a cowardly mugging as she walked home from a station in Sydney's southwest.

The 23-year-old, who uses a walking cane, was deliberately targeted because of her disability, police believe.

She was followed for some time after she got off a train at Padstow on Monday evening and was walking home when she was attacked from behind by a man aged in his 20s.

"This attack on such a vulnerable person is nothing short of cowardly," Detective Chief Inspector Glen Fitzgerald told reporters on Tuesday.

"It's an attack on a very vulnerable person in the community, it was done in the open and it would've been easily seen by a number of people."

There was a short struggle on Davies Rd as the mugger, described as being of Middle Eastern appearance, grabbed the woman's handbag about 5.10pm (AEST).

Inside was the woman's phone, wallet and an online player/recording device used to download talking newspapers and other audio files.

The victim was shaken but unhurt.

The incident is believed to have been captured on CCTV footage.