Police issue image of man wanted over knifepoint robbery in Skelmersdale

Sep 27 2012 by Rob Pattinson, Skelmersdale Advertiser

POLICE have released an image of a man they want to trace after a woman was robbed at knifepoint on a Skelmersdale footpath.

The 26-year-old victim was approached by two men as she emerged from the subway underneath Houghton’s Road, walking towards The Concourse, at around 3pm on Tuesday, August 28.

Both men stopped in front of her and one man asked for a lighter before demanding her mobile phone and money. As the man repeated his demands, his accomplice opened his jacket to reveal a 4-in serrated kitchen knife. The frightened woman threw £100 in cash at the men which she was taking to the bank. Some notes fell onto the floor and the men picked up the cash and fled up the sloping bank towards the main roundabout on Birchgreen Road.

DC Paul Mulrooney, of West Lancs CID, said: “This is a serious offence which happened in broad daylight on a busy road so I would appeal to anybody that may have witnessed it to come forward.”

He also urged anyone who recognised the man in the e-fit image to call Lancashire Police on 101. People with information can also contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The man pictured in the e-fit image was white, in his early 30s, thin build, and around 6ft. He had short dark blonde hair, high cheek bones and patchy facial hair. He had hunched shoulders and was wearing a canary yellow waterproof jacket, denim jeans and white pumps, and spoke in a foreign accent.

The second man, who carried the knife, was white, in his 30s and around 5ft 10, of medium build with dark brown hair. He was wearing a dark grey long-sleeved jogging top over a white T-shirt, light grey tracksuit bottoms and white pumps.