A man wanted in connection with shoplifting offences escaped detection from the police helicopter in a search in Ipswich.

The police helicopter from Wattisham Airfield was launched shortly after 11.10am when the Ipswich man was seen in Ulster Avenue.

He ran through gardens and a basketball court in the Norwich Road area before police lost track of him and called off the search at around 11.30am, a Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said.

He said: “He is known to local officers and is wanted in connection to allegations of shoplifting in Ipswich.

“The police helicopter failed to find him.”