Witness plea as burglar flees on BMX after raid

WOMAN WAS CONFRONTED BY INTRUDER ON RETURNING HOME

POLICE have appealed for witnesses after a woman was threatened when she disturbed a burglar in her house in Leicester.

The 38-year-old victim returned home to be confronted by the intruder on Tuesday afternoon. He then made threats towards her before fleeing on a bicycle.

The incident took place shortly after 5pm in Tollemache Avenue, off Abbey Lane, near the National Space Centre.

Police believe there will be witnesses, with a number of people thought to have been either walking or driving in the street at the time.

A police spokesperson said: “The victim was making her way into her property when she was approached by a man leaving the rear garden.

“The man threatened the victim before riding off on his pushbike on to Sudeley Avenue and then onto the A6 Abbey Lane.”

The woman has managed to provide investigators with a detailed description of the intruder.

He is white, about 5ft 7in, in his mid-20s and of slim build. He has a “very clear complexion”, short ginger hair, blue eyes and spoke with a British accent.

He was wearing a black hooded jacket, black trousers and a black face mask, carrying a black backpack and riding a silver BMX.

Detective Constable Mona Saad said: “This incident happened during the early evening on a busy residential street where a number of people were either walking or driving by. The suspect also made his way onto the (A6) Abbey Lane – again, this is a busy road where people would have been at the time.

“I would like to hear from anyone who was in the area and saw a man matching the description of the suspect. Did you see what happened? Did you see a man cycling along either Tollemache Avenue, Sudeley Avenue or Abbey Lane on a bike like this?

“Do you have dash-cam footage that may have captured this incident or the suspect?

“If you can help in any way we would like to speak to you.”

Contact police on the non-emergency number, 101, or Crimestoppers, which is free and anonymous, on 0800 555 111.