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Rylan Clark and others mock Kent Police image of Maidstone robbery suspect which goes viral online

11:52, 30 April 2024

updated: 13:28, 30 April 2024

A Kent Police e-fit of a robbery suspect that resembles X-Factor star Rylan Clark has gone viral.

More than two million people have seen the force’s tweet about a man they’re looking for in connection with an attempted watch theft, with many pointing out it looked like the bearded TV presenter.

A CGI image of the man officers want to speak to has gone viral online. Picture: Kent Police
A CGI image of the man officers want to speak to has gone viral online. Picture: Kent Police

Rylan himself has even joined the conversation around the photo, taking to X, formerly Twitter, to say: “Wasn’t me x”.

It comes after four men tried to rob a woman of her watch before assaulting her in Romney Place near Maidstone bus station.

The victim reported that between 1.30pm and 2.10pm on Friday, April 5, the men chased her down the road after she refused to hand over the watch.

She suffered bruising to her face but the watch was not taken.

Following inquiries which included reviewing CCTV and going house-to-house, the victim has now completed an e-fit of a man officers would like to identify.

Rylan Clark quickly took to X, formerly Twitter, to have his say. Picture: Ash Jones
Rylan Clark quickly took to X, formerly Twitter, to have his say. Picture: Ash Jones

Social media personality Tristan Tate, brother of the controversial Andrew Tate, replied to Kent Police’s tweet, saying: “That’s me if somebody took a black marker to my photograph. Arrest me.”

Replying to Rylan’s tweet, Canterbury’s Labour MP Rosie Duffield added: “Thank you Kent Police for bringing unexpected joy this week! (And obviously hope you catch all these suspects).”

While other accounts joked the person looked like something out of the Football Manager game.

Hundreds of people quoted the post, with hundreds more replying to it.

So far, a staggering 2.2 million people have clicked on the tweet.

In 2015, police were criticised for releasing the “worst efit ever seen”, which afollowing a reported robbery.

Kent Police sent out a computer generated image of a man they would like to speak to after a 75-year-old man was reportedly robbed in Cliftonville.

But when the image was posted on their Facebook page it received numerous bemused responses - with some members of the public claiming it is the worst they have ever seen and comparing it to a Flintstones character - casting doubts over the effectiveness of the appeal.

Anyone with information which can help the investigation should call the west Kent appeals line on 01622 604100, quoting reference 46/55393/24.

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