A 33-YEAR-OLD man has been charged following a robbery at a mobile phone shop.

Detectives investigating the incident, which happened at Fone World in Chorley on February 18, arrested a man in March.

He was initially released but was then re-arrested by police on Wednesday.

Severin Paraschiv, of Colville Street, Liverpool, was charged with robbery and appeared at Preston Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

On the day of the robbery, Paraschiv entered the Market Street shop pretending to be a customer.

CCTV footage from the store showed him speaking to a 52-year-old shop worker before two other men joined him in the shop.

The first man then suddenly punched the victim while the other two began taking phones from behind the counter and the window display.

The victim was then dragged into a rear room before he was punched in the face again.

He was taken to hospital following the attack but was released after treatment.

A large number of second hand mobile phones were taken.

Following the incident Detective Sergeant Jerry Sturgess, of Chorley CID, appealed for information.

He said: “We are appealing for information following a vicious robbery in the town centre.

“Luckily the shop keeper wasn’t too seriously hurt but he has been left extremely shaken by his ordeal.

“This attack was in the middle of the afternoon and someone must have seen something."

Anyone with any more information about the incident can contact police on 101 quoting log reference 0821 of February 18.