A hapless phone thief suspect has given police a strong clue to his identity by posting of a 'selfie' photograph straight onto the victim's Facebook page.

Police have released grainy CCTV footage of the thief as he flees an apartment complex where he stole the phone, but a photograph posted to Facebook gives a much clearer image of the man.

The man police want to speak to after a phone was stolen from a Southbank apartment complex and this photograph was posted to the victim's Facebook account.

The photograph without a caption shows the man, apparently wearing the same jacket and camouflage cap, with an unknown woman who is driving a car.

The phone was stolen from an apartment complex in Southbank in Haig Street about 1.30pm on July 5.