Police in Bromley are appealing for the public's help after a man appears to have used a young boy as part of a distraction theft at a candle shop. 

CCTV footage shows a man officers would like to speak to in connection with the incident. 

On Wednesday, August 30, police were called at 4.50pm to reports of a mobile phone stolen from the Candle Shop in The Glades Shopping Centre on High Street, Bromley.

The footage caught the man standing by the till and appearing to distract the victim by pretending to want to buy a candle.

As he did so, he moved from side to side as the young boy appears to have gone behind the till, taken the shop assistant’s Samsung Galaxy S7 phone and tried to open the till.

They both left the shop with the phone, police say.

The suspect is described as a large white man, aged in his mid 30s, 5ft 7ins tall, with short brown hair and a beard.

He was wearing a brown hat, brown jacket, blue jeans and black shoes. 

The boy, who is believed to be approximately five years old, is described as white, with short brown hair. He was wearing a blue coat and dark trousers.

PC Ben Briselden, from Bromley Borough, said: "We are keen to identify the man in the CCTV footage who appears to use the child in their care to steal from those working in a candle shop. We would also urge anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us."

Anyone with information or any witnesses are urged to call police on 101 with the reference number 256415 or by tweeting @MetCC. To give information anonymously, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.