POLICE believe a prominent and distinctive tattoo could help them to track down a man who robbed a pregnant woman of £165 in cash at knifepoint.

The attack took place between 11.30 and 11.45am on Wednesday, May 26, as the woman was walking along the St Helens Canal near to the Gerrards Bridge area.

The robber had followed the victim, who is four months pregnant, from College Street, and as she walked along the side of the canal he approached her and asked her the time. He then pulled out a knife and demanded her rucksack containing the money. DC John Dutton, investigating the incident, said the victim was absolutely terrified and handed the bag over straight away.

The robber is described as white, early 30s, 6ft tall, with a tattoo of a cross covering the whole of the back of his right hand. He also had a lazy right eye or a twitch and was wearing a camouflage jacket, blue baseball cap, scruffy blue jeans and black canvas shoes.

The stolen black rucksack, which had New York printed on it, has not been recovered.

Anyone able to help the police with their inquiries can contact DC Dutton at St Helens CID on 0151 777 6064, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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