Teenage boy punched in the face for his iPhone

A 14-year-old boy was punched in the face for his iPhone.

At around 5.45pm on Friday 17 January 2014, the boy was walking through Middleton town centre with his friends when they noticed they were being followed by two people on pedal bikes.

As they walked onto Morton Street, the offenders over took them and got in front of the group. Feeling intimidated, they ran off but were followed.

The victim was grabbed and punched before they took his mobile phone from his coat pocket and cycled off towards Lodge Street.

One of the offenders is described as being white in his mid to late teens, 6ft tall, of medium build, wore a grey tracksuit top with the hood up and a black gillet.

The second is described as being black, in his mid to late teens, of skinny build, wore grey tracksuit bottoms and a black jacket.

Police Constable Steve Farnell said: “The bikes the offenders rode are described as being grey and black with one of them having a white tyre. This is fairly distinctive and I would ask anyone who may have seen the boy being punched or the teenagers riding off towards Lodge Street, to contact police. The actual offence took place outside a shop on Market Place.”

Anyone with information should phone police on 0161 856 8701 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.