A PLUCKY teenage boy asked a robber for his SIM card back when he stole his mobile phone and was shocked when the thief agreed.

The boy was walking down Park Road in Uxbridge at 11.50pm last Wednesday.

As he turned into Honeycroft Hill, he saw a blue Citroen Saxo parked in Park Road, opposite the Gardeners Arms pub.

As the boy carried on walking, a white man armed with a hockey stick jumped out of the car.

The man ran towards him and swung the hockey stick at him, hitting the boy on his side.

He then shouted to the boy to give him his mobile phone, and when the teenager said he did not have a phone the attacker started to search through his pockets until he found it.

As he grabbed the phone the bold youngster asked the robber if he could have the SIM card back as it had a lot of phone numbers on it.

The robber obliged, saying "Why not?" as he removed the SIM card and gave it back to the teenager.

The teenager, who was unhurt in the robbery, then ran off, and saw that a second man was waiting in the driver's seat of the car.

The first suspect is described as white man, aged about 18 and of slim build. He has short brown hair, clean shaven and with a London accent.

He was wearing a white t-shirt with black writing on it, and light coloured joggers.

The second suspect is described as a white man, aged about 18, of slim build and with short brown hair. He was wearing a blue top.

To help identify your mobile phone if it is stolen, police are urging members of the public to record their unique IMEI number.

This can be found by typing in STAR, HASH, ZERO, SIX, HASH, on your telephone. Make a note of this number and give it to police if your mobile is stolen.

If anyone has any information about this incident they should contact police on 020 8246 1456, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

July 11, 2002 09:30