THIEVES who tried to snatch a mobile phone at a Lydney hairdressers earlier this month may have been caught on camera.

Forest police have released CCTV pictures of the people they want to talk to in connection with an attempted theft.

The incident happened in Hill Street at about 4.45pm on Tuesday, February 7, but vigilant staff were able to stop the thieves making off with the mobile.

A group of two men and a woman had entered the shop and started speaking to an assistant about booking an appointment.

One of the men then asked staff if he could use the customer toilet at the back of the premises. He walked into the adjacent staff room apparently by accident and was challenged by workers at the shop, who checked their possessions and discovered an iPhone 4 missing.

When the man was confronted by staff he slipped the phone out of his jacket sleeve onto the desk, claiming he had not taken it. The group then made off towards Newerne Street while staff protested with them.

The man who asked to use the toilets is described as being of Turkish appearance, around 5ft 8ins tall, of slim build, in his early 20s and with black hair in a 'mullet' style - shaved at the sides but several inches long on the top and at the back. He was clean shaven and with noticeably bushy eyebrows. He spoke in broken English and was smartly dressed in a black, slim fitting jacket.

The second man is described as being of Turkish appearance, 5ft 8ins tall, in his late 30s or early 40s, of larger build than the first man and with short black hair shaved at the sides but longer on top. He was clean shaven with dark brown eyes and a distinctive wide nose. Again he spoke in broken English.

The woman is described as white, Eastern European, around 5ft 9ins tall, in her late 30s or early 40s, 'plump,' with mousy brown hair pulled back and held up by a blue scarf with tassels. A witness referred to her being dressed 'older than her years'.

Police also want to speak to those in the CCTV images in connection with a theft from a service station in Alvington, where some of these pictures were taken, and a suspicious incident at a hairdressers in Newnham-on-Severn, both on the same day as the Lydney incident.

The car in two of the photos is believed to be a Volkswagen Passat or Bora used by the thieves.

Anyone who recognises the people or car in the photos should call Gloucestershire Police on 101, quoting incident 290 of February 7.

Alternatively, you can also give information anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via www. crimestoppers-uk.org