Robbers with zombie knife hunted by police
BBCBalaclava-clad robbers used a zombie knife to threaten a man, before stealing his bike, police have said.
The four thieves targeted the 32-year-old at approximately 18.10 GMT on Monday, in the first of two knife robberies in Thornaby that evening.
A 16-year-old, who was threatened with a knife while walking home from the gym, had his iPhone taken later the same night, at 21:40 GMT.
Cleveland Police's Detective Inspector Carl Blenkinsop is urging anyone with information to contact the force.
The first robbery took place as the victim was riding his bike along Thornaby Road.
Four men, dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, stepped out from a bus stop and confronted the rider, demanding he handed over the bike.
One of the men pulled out a zombie knife during the confrontation.
What is a zombie knife?
A zombie knife is defined as a bladed weapon with:
- A plain cutting edge
- A sharp-pointed end
- A blade more than 8in-long
with one or more of the following features:
- A serrated cutting edge over 2in
- More than one hole in the blade
- Spikes
- More than two sharp points in the blade
The second robbery of the day saw two men on bikes target a teenager walking home from a gym on Middlesbrough Road.
As he crossed the road onto Acklam Road, he was grabbed and forcibly searched by the robbers, who rummaged through his pockets before taking his phone.
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