19-year-old teenager robbed

A 19-year-old teenager was robbed near Birch Hill Hospital, Rochdale.

The young man, 19, was walking along a public footpath behind Birch Hill Hospital in Littleborough between 6.20pm and 6.40pm on Friday 24 July 2009 when two men confronted him.

He was listening to his MP3 player when one of the offenders pulled his earphones out and demanded the device and his phone. When the victim refused, they threatened to beat him up so he handed them over, frightened he would be attacked.

They stole a red Sony Walkman MP3 player worth £80, Skull Candy headphones worth £70 and a black Sony Ericsson C902 mobile phone, with white stripes on the edging, worth about £200.

The first offender was white, about 15 to 16 years- old, of slim build and about 5ft 6in tall. He had brown shaved hair, thin brown eyebrows with a cut above his left eyebrow, blue eyes and a clear complexion. He was wearing an orange round neck T-shirt, black tracksuit bottoms and white trainers.

The other thief was also white, of a similar age, height and build, with brown eyebrows and brown eyes. He was wearing a black tracksuit top with the hood up, black tracksuit bottoms with white stripes and black trainers.

Police Constable Ruth Thompson, from the Robbery Unit at Rochdale Police Station, said: "This young man was simply minding his own business, listening to his music, when he was confronted by two teenage boys who threatened to beat him up if he did not give them what they wanted.

"We are making inquiries to trace these boys, and I would appeal to anyone who has information to come forward. It might be someone was out walking their dog at the time and saw two boys matching these descriptions - if so we want to hear from you."

Anyone with information should call the Volume Crime Unit at Rochdale Police Station on 0161 856 8427 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.