Staffordshire Police e-fit of suspect 'looks like E.T.'

An e-fit released by police after a burglary in Staffordshire "resembles E.T."

Police investigating a burglary in Shenstone on Wednesday published an e-fit of a burglary suspect, who was drawn with a long neck, wide eyes and was “very skinny”.

The appeal on Facebook was soon flooded with comments pointing out the resemblance to E.T., the alien character from Steven Spielberg’s science fiction 1982 film by the same name.

One person wrote: “The getaway vehicle was apparently a BMX that had a shopping basket on the front.”

“If I see her, I won’t be calling Staffordshire Police, I’ll be calling Mulder and Scully,” another added, while one person said he doesn’t “think E.T. is going to phone the police”.

Another said: “Someone find this woman urgently. She needs to phooooone hoooome.”

Others suggested Coronation Street’s Gail Platt, Harry Potter villain Lord Voldemort or Madge from Benidorm were behind the burglary in Richard Cooper Road on January 3.

“Seen her on the front of a pack of pickled onion space raiders,” one wrote.

Responding to the wave of comments on Facebook, Staffordshire Police was forced to confirm that “no fictional soap characters are potential suspects”.

“Thank you for all the interest and shares, we can confirm E.T. was at home and no fictional soap characters are potential suspects,” a spokesman said.

“We hope the engagement created means we can identify the offender quickly.”

The force are hunting two women and two men who “forced entry to a home in Richard Cooper Road in Shenstone” at around 9pm and stole cash and electronics, police said.

The suspect is described by police as a “very skinny woman in her mid-30s with light blonde hair and speaks with a Birmingham accent”.