Appeal to trace man in connection with drive-off

Date published: 18/08/2006

Police are appealing for the public's help to identify a man who was caught on CCTV at a service station in Ashton on Thursday 15 June 2006.

At 10.05pm on Thursday 8 June 2006 police were called to Tesco on Silk Street in Rochdale following reports that a car had been stolen.

The owner, a 29-year-old woman from Rochdale, had been shopping at Tesco and got into her car to leave.

At that point a man approached the car and told the woman to get out of the car. The woman refused and the man pulled what she believed to be a handgun from his pocket and threatened her.

Fearing for her safety the woman got out of the car and the man got and drove out of the car park, using the wrong exit and heading towards Castleton.

The car, a blue Ford Focus Saloon, was caught on CCTV with false number plates a few days later, on Thursday 15 June 2006, at Maynestone Service Station on Manchester Road in Ashton under Lyne. The driver refuelled the car and drove off without paying.

Police have released a CCTV image of a man who was seen refuelling the car.

He is described as Asian, of slim build, approximately 5ft 9in or 5ft 10in tall, with short dark hair.

The car was found abandoned on Park Crescent in Victoria Park on Thursday 15 June 2006.

Police are appealing for anyone with any further information on this incident to contact Rochdale CID on 0161 856 1976 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.