A thug threatened a schoolboy on a bus and snatched his iPhone.
The mugger targeted the 16-year-old, who was travelling alone on the top deck of the 192 bus from Manchester to Hazel Grove.
Police have released CCTV images of a man they want to speak to about the theft.
He is described as aged about 25 years, white, 5ft 8in tall and with a few front teeth missing.
At the time of the mugging he was wearing a grey hooded top.
He snatched the iPhone when the bus was in Ardwick and got off the bus two stops later near a subway on Stockport Road.
PC Rhonda Sanson, of Longsight police, said: "This young man was attacked for no reason other than this thug wanted to play the 'big man' and steal his phone.
"He was very intimidating and thankfully, the victim was not physically harmed.
"Greater Manchester Police is running an operation called Gateway that involves having officers and bus inspectors on public transport to reduce anti-social behaviour, violence and knife crime. It is hoped this operation will both deter mindless thuggery and arrest those who commit criminal acts.
"I would appeal to anyone who recognises the man in the CCTV to call us as soon as possible."
Anyone with information is asked to call Greater Manchester Police on 0161 856 4428 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Puddycat (08/02/2010 at 17:00)
Sarcastion Nastyface (08/02/2010 at 17:03)
Thefts and robberies etc. happen every day.
Why is this considered "news"?
Someone stole my digital camera a couple of years back. Can I have a news piece written about my ordeal, please?
Ignoramus, Manchester (08/02/2010 at 17:03)
Not anymore, it was stolen.
Rambo, Denton, Manchester (08/02/2010 at 17:11)
This is NOT news, its called filling in spaces in the M.E.N
jordy, Middleton (08/02/2010 at 17:13)
heptarchy, aha (08/02/2010 at 17:14)
it maybe news to you nearly everyone in england has a mobile phone ! young and old ,
this scum needs to be caught and jailed , he needs to get a job and buy his own iphone .
Ignoramus, Manchester (08/02/2010 at 17:22)
Thats the funniest quip I've heard all day, do I have your permission to print this onto t-shirts?
Puddycat (08/02/2010 at 17:25)
green or blue ??? (08/02/2010 at 17:27)
what’s wrong with a 16 year old having an iphone, my son is 11 and got one for christmas that don’t give any the right to steal it from him though.
some of the people that post on the site look at their lives only and don’t think of the rest of the people in manchester, what might not affect your lives dus effect other peoples, we all have a right to reply to things on here but it dus make some of you look like you’re a bit stupid.
Blue Haze, Manchester (08/02/2010 at 17:50)
Ace Riley, outsidethebox (08/02/2010 at 18:00)
Puddycat (08/02/2010 at 18:01)
J smith (08/02/2010 at 18:05)
green or blue ??? (08/02/2010 at 18:17)
firstly my son has an iphone not through him pressing me, i got him the phone as he has worked hard at school and he knows that he is not to take it to school, so in your opinion if i was to buy a ipad when it is relesed will that also be wrong, i read in your replys that if your buying anything for a child that costs more than £50 it makes them a target for criminals ???? maybe my son has the sence to not make himself a victim.
Jetstar, Manchest`oh ! (08/02/2010 at 18:49)
My 16 year old daughter has the latest HTC phone (some say better than the iphone) and she earns a good wage in a full time job so can afford it.
But the main point here is that a young lad was vunerable and mugged by this low life scum bag.
Im certain he will be caught due to the almost perfect pictures, i hope the lad gets his iphone back as i know how brilliant they are - i`ve got one, but then i am 3 times 16 !!!
allmodcons, prestwich (08/02/2010 at 19:09)
Come-On-City. Paris, France. (08/02/2010 at 20:36)
Do you just sit at your computer all day making up things to write? These sort of muggings happen all over the world - yes including America, which has higher crime rates than the UK.
These are pretty clear pictures lets hope he gets caught - however punishment in Britain is pretty soft, no Ace I don't mean bringing back the birch (what is that with you by the way, have some sort of fetish over it?) I mean prison needs to be reformed.
Bus Driver 118 118, Manchester (08/02/2010 at 21:06)
stagecoach has cctv yes good idea but this scrote will probably never be caught and if he is the Iphone will have probably been a down payment on his next fix
Karl Beswick (09/02/2010 at 00:03)
blizzard, derbyshire (09/02/2010 at 09:19)
Everyone, just have a look at how many times you all repeat yourselves and say exactly the same thing. Mindless.
Moorlok, London (09/02/2010 at 09:31)
The blame in this lies squarely at the feet of the low-life scrote who robbed the young lad of the phone!
It will cost thousands of pounds in man hours to track down this piece of filth, then he will get no more than a few hours community service for terrorising a young lad.
British (in)justice stinks.
want to leave, Stretford (09/02/2010 at 09:42)
If the description fits.. without using the c, f, or other s-word, then yes 'scum' is OK
blizzard, derbyshire (09/02/2010 at 09:51)
Join up online ....nomindofmyown@scumcumscum.com......you get to wear a silly hat too!
Al Capone of Atherton, Atherton (09/02/2010 at 10:52)
Laura Norder, Didsbury (09/02/2010 at 10:59)
It's robbery, no more, no less and, if the MEN posting a pic of the thief helps get him off the streets, that's fine by me.
And for those claiming 'it's not news... whaddya want - huge blazes, murders, serious assaults, sieges, missing children etc, on every page of what is a regional 'news'paper? - get over yourselves or go and switch on CNN or Fox.