Police seek couple after robbery at Birchwood

DETECTIVES today urged witnesses to a robbery in Warrington to come forward.
The incident was around midnight on Friday, December 14 as a man in his 40s was walking along a poorly lit footpath next to the Walled Garden in Birchwood.
As he walked through a wooded area, towards the Locking Stumps hosing estate, from the direction of Birchwood Shopping Centre, he bent to tie a shoelace, placing his mobile phone on the ground to do so.
As he did so, he was kicked in the side of the head and knocked over.
When he got back to his feet he noticed that his phone had been stolen and heard a female laughing behind him. He turned around to see two people running away, across a footbridge over Dewhurst Road in the direction of the shopping centre.
The offenders were both wearing green, parka-style coats with cream, furry hoods.
Enquiries into the incident are ongoing and detectives are urging anyone with information or CCTV or dashcam footage that may aid their investigation to get in touch.
Detective Constable Rob Thorpe said: “This was a frightening incident that has understandably left the victim shaken up.
“Thankfully he only sustained minor injuries – with him having been unexpectedly kicked in the face and knocked over after bending down to tie his shoelaces, his injuries could have been far worse.
“We are determined to find out who was responsible for the assault and the robbery and to bring them to justice.
“Enquiries into the incident – which occurred under the cover of darkness on a poorly lit footpath that cuts through a wooded area – are ongoing and I urge anyone who saw anything that may help our investigation to come forward.
“We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who saw two people – one female – wearing green, parka-style coats with cream, furry hoods in the area.
“We also want to speak to anyone who believes they may know the identities of the two people or may have CCTV or dashcam footage of them.”
Anyone with information or footage that may help detectives with their ongoing investigation should call Cheshire Police on 101, quoting IML 269380, give the details via https://cheshire.police.uk/contact/general-enquiries or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Dashcam footage can be submitted online at www.cheshire.police.uk/advice-and-support/roads-and-vehicle-safety/submit-dashcam-footage.