POLICE are hunting a robbery suspect accused of confronting a man at knifepoint before stealing a £300 e-battery from his bike.

Witnesses say the incident unfolded when a man was seen yanking a locked bike from a cycle rack in Rotary Way, Colchester, at 1pm on Wednesday.

The Gazette understands the bike owner tried to confront the man. 

The incident, which took place in broad daylight, escalated when a third man arrived at the scene in a Nissan Qashqai.

Cris Istrate, 40, who watched in shock alongside several other witnesses as the argument unfolded, said he saw a man from the car pull out a kitchen knife.

He claims the assailant threatened the bike owner before the aggressors got into the Nissan together and drove off.

Mr Istrate said the incident was “nothing” compared to what he saw when he lived in south London but added he had come to Colchester to get away from knife crime.

The incident came just hours after a robbery in nearby North Station Road which left a man injured, though it is not thought the incidents are linked. 

Recounting the incident, Mr Istrate said: “Near Rotary Way there is a bunch of cameras and it was broad daylight – surely there was somebody who reported it.

“It was crazy because me and my colleague were talking about the police tape over there [in Middleborough].

“Near Rotary Way – that’s where it happened.

“There’s a bike rack and a guy was pulling on the bike – the owner of the bike came out to try and beat up the guy, saying ‘get off, get off’.

“Suddenly this Nissan Qashqai came, a guy steps out of the car and has a knife – it was pure random.”

He continued: “At least it’s not America – he could have been shot.

“Everybody parks their bike there. There was lots of us staring… a lot of people were walking slowly but thinking ‘we want to get out of here’.”

Essex Police has confirmed it is investigating the robbery which was reported to them that afternoon.

A spokesman said: "It’s reported that a number of suspects approached a man and tried to steal an electric bike.

"During the altercation, the owner refused to hand over the bike, but the group, one of whom is reported to have shown a knife, did take an e-battery attached to the bike, which is worth about £300.

"The group left in a silver SUV-style vehicle.

"Officers were quickly sent to the scene and a ground search was carried out. The details of the vehicle were also circulated on our systems.

"At this stage, no arrests have been made and we’re following a number of targeted lines of enquiry."