County police are hoping a CCTV image released from an incident in a Cotswold town where a shop worker was left "shaken" will help trace the thief who struck on Saturday.

Shortly before 10am, Saturday May 3, a man went into a shop on Silver Street, Dursley, and stole an item. When challenged by a member of staff, the man then revealed a bladed weapon he was carrying. He subsequently left in the direction of Uley.

A spokesperson said: "Officers attended and searched for the suspect, however he was not located and further enquiries are taking place. The victim was not physically injured, but is shaken by the ordeal."

Should anyone recognise the man pictured or witness what happened, they are being urged to come forward, while police are also appealing for CCTV or dashcam footage.

Information can be submitted by quoting incident 134 of May 3, and completing this form, while anonymous information can be given to independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers by either calling 0800 555 111 or online at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously.

● Research carried out in 2023 from the British Retail Consortium suggests incidents of weapon-related shoplifting had more than doubled in the past year, with about 70 incidents per day involving a weapon. The same survey also showed that incidents against retail staff, including threats with weapons, rose by 50% in the year (to September 2023) and suggests a concerning trend of shoplifters becoming more aggressive and resorting to weapons in their methods.