Punched woman hangs on to laptop

A THUG punched a woman three times in the face as he tried to steal her laptop in Oldham.

But the 23-year-old victim refused to let go of the computer and he eventually fled empty-handed.

The assault happened at 7am on Saturday when the man approached the woman as she waited for a bus in Eagle Street, near the town centre.

He grabbed her laptop bag from over her shoulder and tried to pull it away.

But she wouldn’t let go of it so he punched her with such force that she fell to the ground and her glasses came off. He then ran off.

It is believed the man had watched her for some time before the incident, following her from the Natwest Bank, up a long stretch of Middleton Road, across Cannon Street and through the Aldi store concourse on to Eagle Street.

The attacker, who was white, was aged around 17 of slim build and had dark hair. He wore a hooded tracksuit top, grey tracksuit bottoms and white trainers.

PC Richard Whiting, from Oldham police station, said: “Luckily the woman wasn’t seriously injured but that doesn’t make us any less determined to catch this man.

“If you think you know something that could help, please get in touch so we can get this man off the streets.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Greater Manchester Police on 0161-856 9015