Burka-wearing thief raids Manchester jewellers

A thief in Manchester has robbed a jewellers disguised in a burka.

The person dressed in the full body cloak and walking with a pushchair stood outside Choice Jewellers on Wilmslow Road at 11:35 BST on Sunday.

A police spokesman said staff had opened the locked door because they thought the person was a customer.

The person then blocked the door open with the pushchair, allowing armed accomplices to enter and steal "a large quantity of jewellery" before escaping.

The spokesman said all four offenders had been armed with axes, which were used to threaten staff and smash jewellery cabinets.

After staff deployed a device which filled the store with thick smoke, the four were forced out of the Rusholme shop.

They then smashed the shop window to try to get more jewellery before escaping in a car down Walmer Street.

Det Con Ian Wrench said anyone offered jewellery by "anyone other than a licensed dealer" should contact police, as the four "who carried out this frightening robbery need to be caught".