Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward after an attempted robbery in the Upper Gardens in Bournemouth.
At around 2.30pm on Thursday 26 December 2019 a woman was cycling home through the gardens toward Poole, near to the stream and wooden bridge, when she felt a punch to the back of her head. This caused her to fall off her bicycle.
The suspect then punched her a further three times in the head and tried to grab her handbag and a bag containing clothes she had just bought.
The victim, aged in her 50s and from Poole, shouted for help and the suspect got onto his bike, which he had left on the floor, and cycled off empty handed in the direction of the bridge.
The suspect is described as white, 35 to 40 years old, about five feet seven inches tall and of chubby build. He was wearing a light blue jacket with the hood up, which was quite tight on him, dark blue jeans slightly washed out on the thighs and dark sport shoes. He wore his trousers very low around his waist. The bike he was riding was black, with a thin frame and had some writing on it.
Police Constable Emily Cooke, of Bournemouth police, said: “This was an unpleasant and violent attack on a woman and we are keen to identify the suspect. I would ask anyone who was in the area of the Upper Gardens at the relevant time and either witnessed the incident or saw a man matching the description given to please contact Dorset Police.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk, or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55190201937. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.