Police appeal for witnesses after teenagers robbed

Elliot Furniss

POLICE in Stowmarket have appealed for witnesses after masked robbers targeted two teenage boys.

The two 17-year-olds were walking along the A1120 towards the town, approaching the junction with Needham Road, at about 4.30am on Wednesday when a white Ford Mondeo pulled up alongside them.

Four young men got out of the vehicle leaving the driver still inside. They approached the two boys and asked them for the time and told them to get their mobile phones out.

A police spokesman said: “One of the boys handed over his mobile phone but the other did not and was then asked to empty his pockets.

“When he again refused to do so he was punched five times by one of the offenders, causing him to fall to the floor.

“He sustained bruising to his left eye. The offender then took the boy's mobile phone from his hand and returned to the vehicle with the other males.”

The group then drove off in the direction of the A14 junction.

Several of the robbers wore balaclavas during the incident and the victims managed to provide descriptions of some.

All five offenders were described as black males, in their late teens to early twenties. The driver was wearing a black balaclava that covered his face.

A second member of the gang, who also wore a balaclava, was described as being about 5ft 10ins, of slim build and was wearing an orange hooded top.

A third offender - who assaulted one of the boys - was described as about 5ft 10ins, of average build and wearing a black hooded top. He too wore a black balaclava.

A fourth offender is described as slightly taller than the previous two offenders and in his twenties. He is described as wearing a red scarf with a white pattern, possibly a bandana, that covered the bottom half of his face and he also had a shaved head.

Anyone who saw a white Ford Mondeo in the area at the time or has any information about the offenders can contact Detective Constable Andrew Barker at Stowmarket CID on 01284 774100.