Crowbar threat man hunted

The man is about 6ft tall with a heavy build and fair hair

Police have released CCTV images of a man who threatened Manchester shop staff with a crowbar after trying to steal a TV.

The incident occurred at about after the man entered Curry's in Heaton Park Road, Blackley.

He had been in the store for a while when he took a 42 ins plasma TV off the display and placed it onto a trolley.

Members of staff challenged him as he wheeled the trolley towards the doors and managed to get the TV out the door.

The man argued with staff and left the TV on the ground outside the main doors before going to his van and returning armed with a 20 ins crowbar.

Van recovered

He then used it to threaten staff, grabbed the trolley again and started to wheel it towards the doors, during the incident at about 1525 BST on 5 August .

The staff managed to get the TV back inside, but again the man came after them and retrieved it.

Finally, he threw the TV on the ground at the front doors and fled empty handed in a yellow Ford Escort van, which was recovered on Moston Road in Chadderton in Oldham on 14 August.

The man is white, aged in his mid 30s, about 6ft tall with a heavy and distinctive build.

He had short fair hair, was wearing a light coloured T-shirt and spoke with a local accent.

Detective Constable Jason Breakwell, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "This was an extremely unusual incident and I'm hoping that someone out there will recognize the man involved and be able to tell us who he is."