CCTV image captures shop thief

8:42am Monday 10th March 2008

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A sneak thief was filmed by CCTV cameras as he casually chatted to a shopkeeper while stealing her mobile phone.

The thief struck at the Crafty By Nature shop in Bolton Road, Farnworth, at around 4pm on January 31.

Now police have released a CCTV picture in a bid to identify the man.

The man, dressed in a grey top with a black stripe across the middle, went into the shop posing as a customer.

He then leaned on the counter and started making small talk with the shop keeper.

He said his girlfriend was in hospital and that he was thinking of buying some items from the craft shop to keep his kids amused while she was away.

But as the man talked he sneaked his hand to the side of the counter and quickly pocketed the shopkeeper's mobile phone, which she had left on the work top.

The man then left the store without buying anything.

However, the thief was caught red handed as the whole incident was filmed on the shop's CCTV cameras.

PC Ian Roby, from Farnworth Police, said: "This may not be the most serious of crimes, nevertheless this man has gone into the shop and stolen.

"His face can be clearly made out in these CCTV images and I would appeal to anybody who thinks they may recognise him to get in touch with the police."

Anybody with information about the man is asked to contact PC Roby on 0161 856 5822 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.