A police appeal for a theft suspect quickly went left after social media users pointed out that the man on the run drew an uncanny resemblance to Ross from Friends.

The Blackpool Police Facebook post was quickly flooded with jokes from the hit 90s sitcom after the David Schwimmer lookalike was pictured – via CCTV -clutching several beer cans to his chest.

“Do you recognise this man? We want to speak to him in relation to a theft at a Blackpool restaurant on the 20th September,” the post read,

“If you know who this is, please contact 7798@lancashire.pnn.police.uk.”

Several people definitely had an idea of who he might be, with some suggesting it could be character Rachel’s lookalike date, Russ, who made an appearance in season two, episode 10.

“That’s clearly not Ross,’ Sarah Willow wrote.

“They’re as different as night and… later that night.”

Aaron Milburn quipped: “Please approach him with caution. He is known to have studied Karate and we believe he has mastered the art of Unagi, the state of total awareness.”

Meanwhile a sympathetic Nick Leigh was quick to insist that he was on a break.

“For those that don’t know what the crime was, he’s accused of buying beer while on shift.

“The side people haven’t heard yet and one I’m unsure on where I stand is, HE WAS ON A BREAK.”

And, of course, the comments section would not be complete without at least one or several references to the iconic scene in which Ross attempts to move a couch into his apartment in The One with the Cop.

“I bet he shouted ‘PIVOT’ as he lifted the beers,” wrote Jordan Allsworth.

But not everyone was up for the jokes, including Deborah D Jay Dandy who claimed her son was the victim of the robbery.

“Can’t believe everyone is making a joke of this. It’s a serious matter this was my son who got robbed and this man needs to be found… instead of making a joke of this please help…someone must [know] this man he must live on someone’s street.”

The post took on a life of its own, receiving nearly 100,000 comments in less than 24 hours.

But the force got in on the fun, later commenting: “Thank you to everyone for your speedy responses.

“We have investigated this matter thoroughly and have confirmed that David Schwimmer was in America on this date.

“We’re so sorry it had to be this way”.

Schwimmer has so far stayed shtum on the issue.