Unwanted: The police mugshot so hated by man on the run that he sent one he liked better



As a wanted man, you might expect Matthew Maynard to be somewhat camera shy.

But when his local paper published a mugshot of the 23-year-old in an attempt to track him down, he decided it didn't show his best side.

So he provided a replacement. And if that wasn't cheeky enough, he posed for the new photograph standing next to a police van.

At large: Matthew Maynard sent a officers a picture of himself posing next to a police van

Maynard is being hunted by police investigating a house burglary. Detectives sent the mugshot to local media in Swansea as part of a public appeal.

When the picture appeared in the South Wales Evening Post, Maynard sent the paper a replacement photo of himself standing in front of a police van wearing luminous leggings and a policeman-like black jacket - which was then printed on the front page.

Yesterday officers at South Wales Police thanked him for helping their campaign.

One said: 'He is a berk. He thinks he is being clever by showing off like this - but we'll have him in soon now.

Maynard was not happy with the mugshot published the week before in the South Wales Evening Post, so he sent in a new one which the newspaper put on its front page and asked readers to help track him down



'Everyone in Swansea will know what he looks like now. What an idiot!'

South Wales Police issued the original mugshot as part of a major swoop which saw 81 arrests in 48 hours for crimes including robbery, burglary, assault, possession of drugs and fraud.

Four of the suspects were picked up within hours - but Maynard is one of four still on the run and is wanted for a house raid in Mount Pleasant, Swansea.



Acting Chief Inspector Nigel Whitehouse, who led the operation, said: 'We hope that now many more people will know what he looks like and give us information which can lead to his arrest.

'But if he has any sense at all then he should just give himself up to us.'