Hunt for Raoul Moat: snipers sent to Northumberland

Expert snipers from London and armoured vehicles from Northern Ireland have been sent to Northumberland, as the alleged killer Raoul Moat continued to evade police. Detectives put up a £10,000 reward, issued an appeal by the father of one of his victims and urged the public to be vigilant after an intense search failed to snare him. Police said they found a tent and other evidence that suggested Moat had been sleeping rough. But despite a huge manhunt involving officers from multiple forces, he was on the run for a fifth day. Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Adamson said he had a "gut feeling" that Moat – who is suspected of killing his girlfriend's ex-partner – was still in the Rothbury area, about 30 miles north of Newcastle. "We have established that Mr Moat has been living rough in a tent in a secluded spot near Rothbury," he said. Armed officers from the Metropolitan police, have joined the search. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has sent 20 armoured Mitsubishi Shoguns. Police have recovered an eight-page letter from Moat addressed to his 22-year-old former girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, who he shot and seriously injured early on Saturday morning in Birtley, Gateshead, just before killing her new boyfriend Chris Brown, 29. Moat is also suspected of shooting police officer David Rathband, 42, in the early hours of Sunday. Today the police issued an updated description of Moat and urged anyone with information to contact them. The suspect has a northern accent and dyed blond, cropped hair. He is 1.9m (6ft 3in) tall, and weighs around 17.5 stone. He is right-handed and wears size 12 shoes. He may be wearing a grey or light blue hoodie, a red T-shirt, dark-coloured jeans and white trainers. Police also said they believed Moat had carried out an armed robbery at a fish and chip shop near Blyth on Monday night. Around £60 in cash was stolen in the raid. Two men at one point believed to have been held hostage by Moat were arrested yesterday. They remain in custody and have been named in media reports as Karl Ness, 26, and Qhuram Awan, 23, who is also known as Sean. Today the police said other people may be involved in helping Moat stay on the run. Adamson issued a further direct appeal to Moat. "I've said it before and I will say it again. We want to apprehend you safely. Please give yourself up," he said. He described Moat's letter to Stobbart as "very much personal between the two", but revealed: "In it Mr Moat reasserts his belief that Samantha's partner was a police officer. I repeat this is not the case." He also appealed for people in and around Rothbury to remain on their guard and contact police about anything suspicious. There were reports that food had been stolen from a farmhouse, possibly by Moat. Adamson said that although police believed Moat remained in or around Rothbury, plans were in place to intercept him anywhere in the county. "In a wider sense, the net is closing. In terms of the overall investigation, we are making steady and significant progress," he said. Police issued a video plea made by Paul Stobbart, the father of his former girlfriend, in which he pleaded with Moat to give himself up. He said: "Raoul son, please, this has to stop, it's gone on for too long. What sort of memories are these of the kids to have of their father? "If they ask me in the future or their bairns I will tell them exactly what happened. I won't lie to them, you know that, and I don't want to have to tell them [something] that might upset them about you or whatever's gone on. Come on son, give it up." Channel 4 News reported that police have written a letter to Moat and delivered it to some of his friends. "We want you to contact us again as soon as you are able so we can discuss these things with you and provide you with a full update on how Sam is," it says, according to the broadcaster. The temporary chief constable of Northumbria police, Sue Sim, said that no stone would be unturned as she appealed for continued support from the public. She said that while Moat was a dangerous man, officers believe his main target is the police. In a 999 call just before he is believed to have shot Rathband, Moat warned police that he intended to kill an officer. A friend later delivered a 49-page letter in which Moat spoke of his frustration and determination to kill police officers.