Police have released the images of two men they want to speak to in connection with a number of charity box and tip jar thefts in Manchester city centre.
Officers believe there was a joint effort to distract shop workers while the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital charity boxes were pinched from counter tops.
On 21 July 2015 two men were seen walking into various coffee shops in Manchester.
One conman appears to enter first, speaking on his mobile phone and looking at the menu board, before a second man enters and places an order at the till.
Whilst the barista turns away to make the coffee, the man on the phone removes the charity box and/or tip jar and places it in a large bag before he leaving.
The second man then follows moments later once his drink is ready.
Sergeant Sarah O’Driscoll said: “The offenders for these incidents have obviously planned quite thoroughly what they were going to do and have managed to successfully target a number of coffee shops.
“As a result of their actions, instead of money that has kindly been donated by people out of the goodness of their hearts being used for a good cause or to reward the staff at the store for their hard work it has been used to line the pockets of these two thieves.
“I would like to urge anybody with information to please come forward.”
Anyone with information should phone police on 101, the City Centre Development Team on 0161 856 3221 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
