Man breaks into Porsche by slashing its roof and climbing in

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One man resorted to a novel means of theft when apparently attempting to steal a Porsche in London's upmarket Mayfair area.

CCTV shows a man slashing his way through the soft roof of a Porsche convertible, before trying to wedge himself into the hole he creates.

Once inside however, the man seems unable to start the car and so calmly climbs back out, jumps off the car's spoiler and walks away.

Members of the public appear largely unfazed by the crime unfolding before them as one worker places a 'Wet Floor' sign just metres away from the car, while others are seen walking past the car as its alarm goes off.

The Metropolitan police have released footage of the incident in the hope of identifying the suspect.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said the incident happened on September 29 at about 7.45am, 20 minutes before a second Porsche - a Cayenne - was targeted nearby.

Police said that a man, matching the description of the one caught on CCTV, was involved in this second aborted attempt to break into a car, whose lock was found damaged and scratched.

Detectives also believe that the man was behind a robbery at a JD Sports on Oxford Street that occurred at 11am the same day.

There, he threatened staff with a lock knife when leaving the store with stolen trainers, a sports top and tracksuit bottoms.

Police describe the suspect as a 6ft-tall black man in his 20s with black hair and a dark beard. At the time of the incidents, he was wearing a blue puffer jacket, bleached jeans and a grey beanie hat.