A thief stole more than 250 iPhone 5s today before the device even went on sale.

Mobile phone shop worker Usman Sethi, 23, is accused of taking 252 of the mobiles - worth up to £170,000 - plus a wad of cash.

Police are tonight hunting for the Pakistani national who is believed to be driving a grey Ford Mondeo.

Ports and airports had been put on alert amid fears that the suspect may try and flee the country.

He is accused of stealing the iPhone 5s from the store where he works in Wimbledon, south London, at 1.30am - six and a half hours before they were due to go on sale.

The O2 store in Wimbledon took delivery of the phones ahead of their official release in the early hours but they were taken a short while after.

Detectives say they also want to speak to Sethi, from Ilford, east London, in connection with missing jewellery taken from a member of his family at his home in Audley Gardens, Ilford.

The Apple iPhone 5 is the most hotly-anticipated mobile of the year - and fans have queued for days so they can be the first to get their hands on the device.