Appeal for information after man showed boy a knife in Stonehouse

Police are appealing for information and footage after an incident in Stonehouse on Friday afternoon (3 October).

A child called 999 to report that a man had approached his friend while he was stood outside the Premier shop on Park Road.

The man asked the 10-year-old boy for his name, and when he answered, the man took out a knife and held it out in front of the boy.

This is reported to have happened at around 3.35pm or 3.40pm and the child then ran to a friend's address nearby who called police.

The suspect left in the direction of Elm Road.

Officers attended and searched the area however the man was not located. CCTV from the shop has also been reviewed. 

The boy described the man as being white, aged around 30 to 40 years old, around 5ft 5in in height, of an average build with cropped ginger hair and a ginger beard.

The man was wearing a black jumper with white writing across the middle of the chest and baggy blue jeans.

Police are keen to hear from anyone in the area who has any CCTV or dashcam footage which may assist in identifying the man. 

Officers are also keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any information.

You can provide information to police online by completing the following form and quoting incident 288 of 3 October: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/