A MAN pretended to be a police officer before stealing a schoolboy's mobile phone and pocket money.

Police said the 12-year-old was persuaded by the man to hand over his mobile phone because he needed it for urgent police business.

The man, who was wearing normal clothes and showed no identification, then made the youngster withdraw a small amount of cash from a cashpoint before making him hand it over.

Insp Stuart Bruce said: "This was a particularly sinister incident where a trusting person has been deceived into thinking he was helping a police officer, only to become the victim of a crime.

"The police stress that although officers often carry out plain clothes duties, they always carry identification and are happy to show it when seeking assistance from people."

The incident happened at around 4.45pm on Sunday when the 12-year-old boy was on his way home from a trip to the cinema with his friends.

As he walked along St Peter Street in Blackburn he was approached by a man who claimed to be a police officer.

The man did not produce any identification but persuaded the boy to hand over his mobile phone by saying he needed to make an urgent phone call.

The boy was then walked into the town centre where he withdrew some money from a cash point on King William Street and handed it over to the man.

He was then taken to Ainsworth Street where he was told that he would be seen by a uniformed police officer. The man then made off with the boy's mobile phone and cash.

Insp Bruce said that the boy was not hurt but he and his family have been left upset by the ordeal.

Police are appealing for anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

The man was described as white and was aged in his mid 30s. He had a thin build and was approximately 5ft 6ins tall. He was wearing a blue beanie hat, dark tracksuit bottoms and white shoes.

Contact the police on 0845 1 25 35 45 quoting log reference number 240eq/270108 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.