People in Felixstowe have been warned to be careful using their mobile phones in the street after four incidents in three weeks involving a cycling robber.

The cyclist – police have yet to link the crimes – rides up behind the phone user and grabs the handset and cycles off.

On July 21 the cyclist snatched a white iPhone 5 mobile phone from the hand of an eight-year-old girl as she took a picture of her mother in Orwell Road.

Then on August 2, a 38-year-old man was standing outside a shop in Hamilton Road when a man on a bike tried to take his phone.

On Tuesday there were two more incidents – one successful theft and one attempt.

Police said the first incident happened around 11.15am in Hamilton Road as a 30-year-old man was walking along making a call on his mobile when a man on a bike cycled past him and grabbed hold of the phone.

The victim initially managed to hang onto the phone but it then dropped to the ground and the offender cycled away empty handed.

The second incident happened a few minutes later, around 11.20am, in Cobbold Road behind the Tesco store.

A 25-year-old woman was walking along with her mobile phone in her hand when she heard someone cycling up behind her. Seconds later the phone was snatched from her hand by a man and he then cycled away.

A police spokeswoman said: “The man involved is described as white, of medium build, in his mid 20s to 30s, of gaunt appearance and was wearing a dark hooded top, dark coloured trousers and tinted glasses, and he cycled away on a dark coloured mountain bike, weaving between pedestrians.

“Officers are also warning shoppers, residents and visitors to be alert, to be careful if you are using your phone in public areas and to report any suspicious activity to police immediately using 999.”

Police are following up several lines of inquiry to trace the man involved but are asking anyone who saw what happened or has information about who he is to call police at Felixstowe on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously if required, on 0800 555 111.