Staff at north-east businesses have recalled coming face-to-face with an “astonishing” distraction thief who has struck five times in the last fortnight.
Police are hunting for the man, who has targeted hairdressers, a beauty salon, a jeweller and a cafe as he moves around the area.
Business in Ellon, Banff, Fraserburgh, Ballater and Banchory have been hit with police launching an appeal for information.
One woman at a jewellers in Ballater recalled how the suspect tried to make off with a collection of rings on his fingers, which he had concealed under a newspaper.
Meanwhile, Brenda Clark, receptionist at the The Tanning, Hair and Beauty Company in Banff, recalled how the man waited outside the premises for the right moment to strike.
She said: “Last Friday he was standing at the front door, I asked him if I could help and he said he was waiting for his mother so I presumed she had an appointment.
“I carried on serving other customers and then went through to clean the sunbeds.
“When I came back I looked for my phone and realised it had gone missing and realised he’d come in and run away with it.”
Police are keen to trace the suspect, who is described as being of Asian appearance and aged between 25 and 30, around 5ft 4ins tall with short dark hair. He spoke with a foreign accent.
Nicola Grant, the managing director at Rowan Jewellery and Gifts in Ballater managed to suss out the thief but described him as professional.
She said: “He came into the store and tried to get into a cabinet.
“I heard him and went in to explain that it was locked and he could not get in.
“He waited while I served another customer then he asked to see a ring inside a cabinet.
“He had a newspaper in his hand and kept pointing to a yellow gold strip, he pretended not to speak English and moved in an agitated manager.
“I saw all the ring boxes were empty and he had all the rings on his fingers and got them back asked him to leave.”
Despite her lucky escape she said: “He’s a professional and it’s astonishing how fast he is.”
Police are also looking into whether the man in question was involved in the theft of a mobile phone from a cafe in Aviemore in February.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101.