Police want to talk to this man about string of Portsmouth street robberies

The crime spree happened on the evening of Monday, May 22, when police were called several times about victims being threatened, assaulted and having belongings property stolen by three males.

The trail of criminality included:

• At about 7.30pm, two 12-year-old boys had their bikes taken from outside the Premier store on the corner of Stubbington Avenue and Lyndhurst Road.
• At 7.40pm a 31-year-old was assaulted on Kensington Road, suffering minor injuries. Nothing was taken but an attempt was made to steal his phone.
• At around 8pm two 15-year-old boys were approached at Alexandra Park near to the Mountbatten Centre. Three males attempted to steal a mobile phone from one of the boys but other members of the public intervened.
• At about 8.05pm an 18-year-old man had Air Pods, a phone and jewellery taken from him on Mayfield Road. The man was threatened during the incident but not injured.
• At around 8.15pm, three males approached a 17-year-old boy in Alexandra Park and threatened him with a knife. They assaulted him causing minor injuries to his neck and head. Nothing was taken.
• At approximately 8.40pm a 12-year-old boy had his phone stolen near to the Mountbatten Centre. He was not injured.

A Police Community Support Officer who was sent to the area following the reports was assaulted by one of the males, causing minor injuries to his face, arm, knee and hand.

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Three teenage boys aged 15,16, and 17 who were all arrested on suspicion of robbery and assaulting an emergency worker as part of our enquiries have been released on conditional bail as our investigation continues.

A police spokesman said: ‘Following forensic work, comprehensive house-to-house enquiries and CCTV scoping, phone examination, identification of stolen items and taking further witness statements, we now want to identify the man seen in the attached image.’

He is of mixed race, about 5ft 11in, and slim, and wore black clothing.

Anyone with information about any of these incidents is asked to call 101 quoting 44230202557/Operation Blot.

The spokesman added: ‘Perhaps you witnessed one of these incidents and have not yet spoken to police? Maybe you live in the areas mentioned or were driving through at the times of the incidents and have dash cam, Ring Doorbell or CCTV footage that may assist our enquiries?’

Police also want to hear from anyone who may have been a victim of a similar incident on Thursday night and has not yet reported it.

Information can also be submitted online here.