A driver was attacked while waiting in traffic by a man on a scooter in an "appalling daylight assault".
The attacker, riding a black scooter, pulled up next to the car on Heaton's Chillingham Road before carrying out the shocking assault.
The driver, who had had his window down, was waiting for a bus to move off when the offender, believed to be in his early 20s, began to threaten him.
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He demanded the driver's keys before punching him through the window and making off on the scooter.
Police are now investigating the incident, which happened at around 2.30pm on July 27.
Detectives have now identified a man they believe to be responsible for the assault, and are asking for help from the public to trace him after they released an image of the incident.
Northumbria Police staff investigator Gareth Howie said: “This was an appalling daylight assault and it is imperative that the perpetrator is identified and brought to justice.
“As part of various enquiries, we have now identified a man we believe to be responsible – and now we need the public’s help in a bid to locate him.
“If you think you recognise the man, or believe you know the person responsible, please get in touch.
“Also if you were on Chillingham Road that day and your vehicle has dash cam, we ask that you check your footage and let us know if you see anything that can assist.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the website’s ‘Tell us Something’ function or by calling 101 and quoting log NP-20210727-1091.
