A POLICE officer was knocked unconscious after a scuffle with jewellery shop raiders as they made their escape with £9,000 worth of designer watches.

The four burglars broke into George Banks Jewellers, in Fishergate, Preston, at around 8.50pm on Wednesday, March 10.

The four balaclava-clad offenders were disturbed by the shop alarm as they snatched the watches from a window display.

When police arrived, the gang fought with officers before escaping in a stolen black Subaru towards the M6.

A customer in a chemist shop was threatened with an eight-inch screwdriver, assaulted and had his prescription drugs stolen by three Asian youths.

The group, aged 20-25, attacked the 31-year-old man as he left the chemist, in Manchester Road, Preston, at around 5.30pm on Monday, March 1.

One of the offenders is described as wearing a black leather bomber jacket and was clean shaven. The other had a goatee beard and was wearing a black ski jacket with a big collar.

They stole the man's Methadone, Mogadon and £57 in cash.

A youth in his late teens stole £120 worth of sports clothing from Ashton Sports, in Blackpool Road, Preston, while the shop assistant was on the telephone. He jumped into a waiting car, with two more people on board. The shop owner caught up with the car and opened the door but the driver sped off, knocking him to the ground.

The thief is 5ft 8ins tall, wearing a dark-coloured top, dark jeans, black Nike baseball cap, and spoke with a local accent.

Sports clothing worth £125 was stolen from Monkhouse Outfitters in the Miller Arcade, Preston, at around 12.40pm on Tuesday, March 2.

The thief took the clothing into the changing rooms before making his escape with two Adidas tracksuits. He is white, slim, 5ft 8ins tall, with short fair hair, and was wearing a blue jacket, tracksuit bottoms, white bobble hat and trainers.

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