How Cracker Star Is Helping Cops

Police in New Zealand are circulating a mugshot of celebrated Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane in their hunt for a burglar.














An image of Coltrane is used to 'crack' a New Zealand burglary case



Detectives in Christchurch are
not hunting the Cracker star himself but a teenager who they think
bears an uncanny resemblance to the 58-year-old comedian.

Posters bearing a photograph of Coltrane, who portrays the giant Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, were dropped by police this week in mailboxes around the city centre, where the burglar has been most active.

The poster says: "Robbie Coltrane is not the burglar,

"But imagine him aged 16 with lank, greasy hair and you have the picture."

Barred by New Zealand
law from publishing or circulating pictures of juvenile offenders,
police hit on the idea of using a photo of Coltrane, who they say is
similar in appearance to their prime suspect.










Robbie Coltrane






Christchurch police Sergeant Phil Dean said: "It's a provocative thing to get people to read our crime prevention information."

Sgt Dean said police did not seek Coltrane's permission for the mail drop but said he believed he would support the initiative.

Coltrane made his name in shows including Tutti Frutti, Cracker - in
which he played hard-drinking, crime-fighting criminal psychologist
Eddie Fitzgerald - and the Comic Strip series.

What ever next ?