An image has been released of a man with, well, a huge grin on his face who police want to speak to in connection with a distraction burglary – and it has already received hundreds of comments.

Warwickshire police have Tweeted an e-fit image of what it is believed the man looks like based on the description from a witness – and his very wide cheesy grin has made the image go viral.

The e-fit shows a man they are looking for in connection with burglary wearing a black hat with black stubble, but his toothy grin is sure to make him stand out from the crowd.

Many Tweeters have since mocked the image with dozen sharing their own pictures of characters also famous for their toothy grins, including Donkey from the Shrek movies.

Police officers later Tweeted in response to comments: "We can confirm that this is real and that we anticipated the attention! But jokes aside, it was created from a description provided and it's serious as a woman was victim of a horrible crime. Hopefully the attention will mean we identify the offender/bring him to justice quicker."

The burglary occurred between 2pm and 2.36pm on February 5, but information has just been released to the media.

The e-fit of the man has garnered some hilarity on social media despite the seriousness of the incident

Two men claiming to be from Orbit Housing tricked their way into a flat in Hertford Place, Stratford-upon-Avon. One of the men distracted the occupant - a woman in her 40s - while the other man searched the property.

When the victim realised what they were doing she ordered them to leave. The men left with a quantity of cash.

Officers are asking anyone with information to call 101 quoting incident 220 of February 5. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Warwickshire Police offers the following advice to help people avoid falling victim to distraction burglary:

  • Beware of anyone who says they are in a hurry - if in doubt, call a neighbour or friend
  • Check to see who is at the door by using your door viewer, or looking through a front window
  • Always put the chain on before you open the door as this is a barrier against unwanted callers
  • When an unexpected caller claims they work for one of the utility companies, they must be able to quote your password and unique customer number and produce an identity card:
  • As added proof of identity, genuine trades people should carry an identification card with their photograph on -check this carefully and keep the chain on
  • Make a note of your customer number, which can be found at the top of the utility bill and keep it handy - this number is unique to your household
  • All of the utility companies operate password schemes - contact the customer services department and set up a password with them
  • If you're unsure about the caller's identity telephone the company the caller claims to represent, but don't rely on them giving you the number as it may be false - genuine callers won't mind waiting.

You can view the Tweet and its comment by visiting the Twitter page.