SA police seek one-eared robber

Mobile phones are a favourite target for criminals

A severed ear is reportedly the key piece of evidence as South African police investigate a robbery.

Police in Johannesburg are looking for a man whose ear was pulled off during a tussle with a would-be victim.

A police source confirmed to the BBC News website reports that the suspect had smashed a driver's car window and tried to grab a mobile phone.

The driver got out of his car to try to retrieve his phone, and grabbed the man by the ear as they fought.

Mortuary

The ear came off in the driver's hand, and the one-eared suspect fled.

The driver took the ear to the nearby Parkview police station.

From there, police say the ear was taken to the government mortuary where it would be used as evidence to try to identify the robber.

"Perhaps the public can also help by looking around for someone walking around with one ear," a police spokesman told The Citizen newspaper.