St Helens detectives appeal for witnesses following robberies at 'The Dream', Sutton

Detectives in St Helens are appealing for witnesses following a robbery and attempted robbery in Sutton this morning, Monday 18 May.

At around 8.15am, a woman in her 60s was walking her dogs in woodland along a path that leads to the summit of 'The Dream' on Jubits Lane when a man emerged from bushes and engaged her in conversation. He followed her and brandished a large tree branch, making threats and demanding her phone and money. The man attempted to grab the victim's jacket, before she screamed and the suspect ran away empty-handed.

As officers carried out a search of the area, they were made aware of a man in his 60s having been victim of a robbery around the same time, with a small quantity of cash stolen. This second incident occurred near to the duck pond. Neither victim was injured, although both were shaken.

The suspect was described as white, around 5ft 10in tall, and in his early 30s. He had short, dark hair, an athletic build and was dressed in black clothing. Forensic, CCTV and witness enquiries are ongoing.

Detectives Sergeant Chris Burrows said: "Although neither victim was injured, both incidents will have been distressing experiences in what should be a relaxing place to visit. From descriptions given, we believe that both of these offences were committed by the same individual, and we're ensuring that both victims are supported as our enquiries continue.

"Such incidents in this popular area are extremely rare, and we want to find the person responsible as soon as possible, so people can continue to enjoy their valuable daily exercise.

"The area is frequented by a great many dog walkers, so we're hopeful that someone would have seen this man today, either before, during or after these incidents, or potentially captured his image on dashcam or other devices nearby. If you have any information, please come forward and we will do all we can to find the man responsible and put him before the courts."

Please contact us via our social media desk on Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre', with reference 158 of Monday 18 May.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.