TWO attacks in a fortnight has lead to an increased police presence in one West Ealing Road.

Police believe the two incidents, both robberies, were committed by the same men and are stepping up patrols around Northfields Avenue in an attempt to catch the culprits.

The first victim, a 28-year-old man from West Ealing, was attacked by a group of three white men, aged between 20 and 25, near Tesco, as he made his way home from a night out around 3am on Saturday, April 12.

He was kicked and punched to the ground, before one of the group took his Nokia mobile phone worth around £100. He suffered bruising and a bloody nose but did not need hospital treatment.

The second attack took place on Sunday, April 27 at around 4.30am near a bus stop at the top of Northfields Avenue.

The victim, a 20-year-old man, was on his bike travelling south down the road when two men stepped into the road in front of him, forcing him to stop.

They asked him for a cigarette, which he gave them, before starting to ask him strange questions. As he tried to move on, one of the pair pulled a penknife from his pocket and demanded he hand over his grey Saracen bike, worth around £250.

Both men then got on the bike and cycled off towards Leeland Road. Both are described as white, aged between 18 and 25, with short brown hair. Police believe the two incidents are connected.

Anyone with information on these incidents can contact Ealing Police on 0208 810 1212, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.