A TEENAGE thief who made off with £8,000 cash from a family-run motorbike shop in Accrington is being hunted by police.

Detectives are appealing for witnesses after the scruffy-looking boy stole Saturday's takings from George Clarke Motorcycles in Whalley Road at 5.15pm, at the end of the shop's busiest day of the week.

The boy is believed to have sneaked into the showroom office while no one was looking and picked up two cash boxes containing around £8,000.

The boy was heard muttering in an Irish accent as he left the shop. He is believed to have headed towards the town centre. Staff later realised the cash boxes were missing and searched the area, but without success.

Company managing director Mark Clarke said: "We are still counting the exact amount taken, but we estimate it is about £8,000."

Mr Clarke, the son of original boss George who founded the company 45 years ago, added: "One of our workers saw this lad leaving the shop but it wasn't until afterwards that we realised the cash boxes had been taken. We tried to look for the lad, but we couldn't find him."

Detectives want to hear from anyone who saw the thief. He was about 5ft 6ins with dark brown hair and wore a dirty royal blue baseball cap. He also wore a royal blue jumper, navy blue tracksuit trousers and scruffy white trainers.

Police are also looking for the cash boxes, one of which was silver and the other blue. Anyone with information should call Accrington Police on 01254 382141.

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