Teen with Cancer Robbed in Leeds

9 March 2016, 17:04 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A teenager with leaukaemia has been robbed of his phone in Leeds.

The 17-year-old victim, who had been given the phone by a children's cancer charity, was attacked at about 5pm on Monday (7/3) as he walked down a ginnel between Dixon Lane and Henry Avenue in Wortley.

He had been listening to music on his iPhone through headphones when he felt something strike his left heel. He turned around and was confronted by a man who demanded his phone.

He grabbed the victim by the throat and pushed him into bushes before producing a kitchen knife and threatening to kill him.

The victim feared for his safety and handed over the gold-coloured iPhone 6 (serial number C37P3RNYG5MQ)

The suspect then rode off on a black mountain bike along Henry Avenue towards Kellet Road and the victim ran home and told his mother. She chased after the suspect but he was already in the distance. A member of the public in a van also pursued the suspect but lost him.

He was described as white, aged 19 to 20, slim, about 5ft 11ins tall, with a spotty complexion and a scruffy beard. He was wearing a black coat with a hood, black tracksuit bottoms and had a black rucksack on his back. The rucksack has a white Newcastle United logo on the back and drawstrings down the side.

The phone was tracked using software on another device but was shown to have been switched off in the area of Cobden Road.

Detective Constable Grant Lee, of Leeds District Crime Team, said: "The victim is currently undergoing treatment for leukaemia and has been left understandably distressed at being targeted in this way. The phone was given to him by a children's cancer charity to support him during his treatment, so for it to be taken from him in such frightening circumstances is particularly cruel.

"We are carrying out enquiries to trace the person responsible and would like to hear from anyone with information that could assist the investigation. The description of the offender is quite distinctive and we would like to hear from anyone who thinks they know who it might be. We would also like to hear from anyone who has been offered a gold iPhone 6 for sale since the incident on Monday."

Anyone with information is asked to contact DC 1421 Lee at Elland Road via 101 quoting crime number 13160101094 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.