A VIOLENT thief who punched a woman before stealing her car is being pursued by police.

The man - thought to be around 20 years old - assaulted a woman in her 40s by grabbing and punching her before demanding her car keys.

The incident occurred at around 12.40pm on Wednesday July 10, in Beeches End, Tameside, and the assailant escaped with the vehicle, a black Range Rover Evoque.

However, he later crashed the car half a mile away on Cartwright Street before running away from the scene.

The man is described as 5ft 7ins to 5ft 10ins tall, of medium build with black hair which is shaven at the sides and blue eyes.

DC Chris Oldham, from GMP’s Tameside District, said: “The woman was left understandably shaken by the assault and it is only by good fortune that she was not more seriously injured.

“If you saw her being threatened and assaulted on Beeches End, saw the black Range Rover Evoque being driven away or witnessed it crashing on nearby Cartwright Street, please get in touch and help us catch the person responsible.”

Anyone who has any information should call police on 0161 856 9262 quoting incident number 1556 of 10/07/19.

Alternatively, details can be passed on anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.