DETECTIVES want the public’s help in tracing a trio of men who robbed a working man of £200 in cash while brandishing knives.

The man had been taking a shortcut home through the play park just off Savernake Road when he was approached by three men with their faces covered.

Two of the men proceeded to threaten him with knives, while the third demanded he hand over anything of value.

He gave up his phone which was contained in a case which also had £200 in cash hidden away within it.

The lead member of the group pocketed the cash before discarding the phone, and the trio made off along Savernake Street at around 5.50pm on Thursday 17 April.

The group are thought to have been loitering in the area for some time before they confronted their victim, and police are appealing for anyone who may have seen them or has any information about this incident to contact them.

DC Sonia Marsh, of the Priority Crime Team at Wiltshire Police, said: “Last Thursday a man in his 20s was walking home from work, taking a route through the Savernake play park.

“He was approached by three males who he had seen sitting on a breeze block wall on Savernake Road.

“One of the males approached him and grabbed him by his top, pushing him against the fence and ripping the victim’s jacket.

“The victim saw two of the males were holding knives pointing at him, and the male who had pushed him demanded, ‘Give me your phone, give me what you have got’.

“The victim handed his phone within its case to the offender, and also within that case was £200 in cash, which the offender removed and then threw the phone to the floor.

“All three offenders then fled from the park, exiting onto Savernake Street.”

Although they had made an effort to conceal their faces, descriptions of the offenders have been provided to police.

The male who did the pushing was white, around 6ft 2ins and of slim build. He was in his late teens to early 20s, wearing a cap with an OBEY logo written on the front and a dark colour windbreaker type jacket which was zipped up over the nose. He was also wearing white trainers and black gloves.

The second male, who had been holding a knife, is thought to have been oriental in appearance. He is between 5ft 6ins to 5ft 7ins, of slim build with dark hair and his hood pulled up. He wore a black thigh-length Barbour coat pulled up over his nose, and wore black shell-suit type tracksuit bottoms.

The third male is white, around 5ft 10ins, of slim build and in his late teens to early 20s. He wore a dark coloured beanie hat, a dark coloured neck gaiter pulled up over his face, with white trainers and black gloves.

Anyone with any information about this incident or the three men involved should contact DC Sonia Marsh on 01793 507912, or alternatively Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.