A 16-YEAR-OLD boy who turned detective managed to record a 10-minute conversation of a man trying to sell his phone which had been stolen during a robbery.

The youngster had been walking in Pringle Street, Blackburn, on his way to visit his girlfriend when he was approached by a man, police said.

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He told officers the thief spoke to him before punching him in the stomach causing him to slump over.

The man, who was described as Asian, around 30 years old with short black hair, then picked up his iPhone 4 and ran away.

Police said the victim suffered reddening to his face and sore ribs. When the boy got to his girlfriend’s house, her family called the stolen phone, which was answ-ered by a man.

Detectives said it is then believed that the person who answered thought he had ended the call but in fact he had not.

The family then listened to and partially recorded a conversation that they overheard of him offering a phone for sale.

In the recording a man can be heard trying to sell the phone to a woman who was asking whether or not it was stolen.

Police are now trying to trace the woman to see if she can help them.

Det Sgt Eric Halford also appealed for anybody else with information about the attack, which happen-ed between 11.55am and 12.15pm on Saturday, to come forward, adding: “This was a vicious attack committed against an innocent young man in broad daylight.

“I believe the offender has then tried to sell the phone, which is a black iPhone 4 in a purple silicon case, locally.”

The thief was wearing a red zip up jacket with a hood, grey jogging bottoms and Air Max trainers.

Anybody with information should call 101 quoting log LC-20140906-0844.