Police name wanted man after gunpoint robbery in Blackpool

2:20pm Wednesday 27th August 2008

The gunman wanted in connection with a town centre bank robbery is the son of former ‘public enemy number one’, John McVicar.

During the robbery, at the Royal Bank of Scotland, Talbot Square, on Friday, a lone suspect threatened security staff and escaped with ‘a substantial sum of money’.

Officers are attempting to trace Russell Grant, 43, who is suspected to have carried out several violent robberies and is wanted by a number of police forces.

He is the son of John McVicar, a London armed robber, who reformed his life while incarcerated and later became a journalist and TV star.

McVicar’s life story was adapted into a movie, with The Who vocalist Roger Daltrey playing the lead role.

Grant, who also uses the aliases Russell McVicar and Thomas Bird, was jailed in 1998 for stealing a Picasso painting at gunpoint from a London art gallery.

Detective inspector Frank Walmsley, who is investigating the robbery, said: "We are very keen to speak to this man and would urge anybody who may have seen him or know of his whereabouts to contact police immediately.

"It is thought that this man could potentially be violent and dangerous.

"It is important that if anybody does recognise him, he is not to be approached and they should contact police immediately."