A masked mugger has targeted a number of pupils at an Oldham secondary school and threatened them with a knife since last month.
Six students at Blue Coats School were approached by the robber, who was wearing a balaclava to cover his face, on September 27.
The first three victims were robbed as they walked home from the bus stop when they were approached by the mugger who threatened them with a small kitchen knife and demanded their mobile phones.
Two of them handed over their phones and the robber ran off toward St Mary’s estate toward Wilson Way. The pupils reported the incident to staff at the school.
PC Steven Gilliland, of Oldham Central Neighbourhood Team, said: “We certainly do not want to alarm pupils and parents at this particular school, but we need to make people aware.
“From the different accounts we’ve had, it appears that one man mugged, or tried to mug, six people on one day.
“We are investigating the possibility that all robberies were carried out by one man, but we can’t rule out the fact that more than one person could have done this.
“Either way I want to reassure the victims, other pupils and their parents that we are taking this very seriously and are working hard to locate the man, or men, responsible.”
Since the robbery, three more pupils have now come forward and said they were also targeted on the same day by a man with a similar description.
The original victims described him as white, in his 20’s, with short blond hair, wearing a blue or purple hoodie with white draw strings, black or grey tracksuit bottoms
The victims who have since come forward said he may have been wearing a grey tracksuit top and described a larger knife.
Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 9098 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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