POLICE hope a rare cricket jacket stolen from a car parked in the grounds of a Bolton primary school will help catch out the thieves.

For the waist length jacket, similar to a "windcheater", is one of only 24 in circulation.

Detectives say the jacket, which has the emblem of a castle on the left breast pocket and the name Blackrod Cricket Club surrounding it, is easily recognisable.

The jacket and a wheel, together worth £80, were stolen from a car parked near Blackrod County Primary School. The top half of the jacket is navy blue and the bottom is white with a red band separating the two colours. The sleeves are navy and white.

Detectives are also hunting two thieves who robbed a 17-year-old boy at knifepoint. The teenager, who has not been named, was confronted by the two men in Sheringham Drive, Bury, last Sunday.

The thieves stole a computer console, radio cassette, computer games, compact discs - and even the shoes the terrified teenager was wearing. The total value of the haul was £495.

Anyone with information about the two crimes is asked to contact Crimestoppers on the free phone number 0800 555 111.

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