Police hunt knife-wielding teen

POLICE are hunting a knife-wielding thug who tried to steal a woman's bag as she walked alone on a Suffolk footpath.

John Howard

POLICE are hunting a knife-wielding thug who tried to steal a woman's bag as she walked alone on a Suffolk footpath.

In what officers are calling a “frightening ordeal”, the 46-year-old victim was walking on the path which runs alongside the Brickfields in Stowmarket at about 5.30pm yesterday when a youth approached and demanded her bag.

She tried to walk around him but was unable to, and noticed he was carrying a knife. The woman then shouted at the man and walked away into Lucern Court and her would-be robber made off towards Seabreeze Road.

Detective Inspector David Rutterford, from Suffolk Constabulary, said: “This was a frightening ordeal for the victim who did the right thing in leaving the scene as soon as she saw the offender had a knife.

“Before the male approached her, the victim saw a young couple walking behind her on The Brickfields, and a woman in front of her on Iliffe Way who turned into Seabreeze Road.

“I would appeal for these people to get in touch, as they may have seen the offender before or after the attempted robbery and could hold important information which may assist this inquiry.”

The offender is described as white, in his late teens, around five feet eight inches tall, with a slim build and light brown hair. He was wearing dark clothing including a beanie hat and his face was partially covered.

-Anyone with any information about the attempted robbery should contact Stowmarket CID on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.