Arrest in hunt for Blackpool 'Ross from Friends' lookalike Published duration 13 November 2018

media caption The one with the doppelganger: Many thought the suspect (left) bore a striking resemblance to David Schwimmer

A man has been arrested after a police appeal for a Ross from Friends "lookalike" went viral.

The image of a suspected thief, taken in Blackpool, was widely shared after internet users noted his resemblance to actor David Schwimmer.

Lancashire Police said a 36-year-old suspect was arrested in Southall, west London, on suspicion of theft.

The force announced Monday's arrest on Twitter, thanking Schwimmer for his support.

The Met Police replied to the tweet, making reference to the Friends theme song I'll Be There For You.

After the original image was shared hundreds of thousands of times, the US star shared a tongue-in-cheek video proclaiming his innocence.

In the short clip, filmed inside a New York shop, he could be seen carrying a crate of beer, mimicking his "double" in the police image.

He captioned the video: "Officers, I swear it wasn't me. As you can see, I was in New York.

"To the hardworking Blackpool Police, good luck with the investigation."