A SICK thug stole a vulnerable pensioner's landline phone so he could not call for help after robbing him in own home in Glasgow's Southside.

Cops are now hunting for the heartless robber who struck at around 4am on Tuesday in King's Park's Menock Road.

They say the robber forced his way into the home of an 83-year-old man, threatened him with a sharp object and demanded that he hand over his cash line cards along with their pin numbers.

He then left the house with the cash line cards, a quantity of alcohol and the landline telephone preventing the elderly man from calling for help and leaving him uninjured but very distressed.

Several hours later a neighbour became aware of what had happened and contacted police.

The culprit is described as white, Scottish, around 6ft to 6ft 3 inches in height, aged 30 to 40 years, heavy build, with dark hair and he was wearing dark clothing.

Detective Sergeant Graham McCreadie at the Greater Glasgow Community Investigation Unit at Govan hopes to snare the robber after he withdrew money using the cards.

The force said they were reviewing CCTV.

DS McCreadie said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for anyone to endure never mind an elderly man within his own home in the middle of the night.

"Thankfully he was uninjured but it is vital that we catch the despicable individual responsible and prevent him from striking again.

“Enquiries have revealed that several hundred pounds have been taken from the elderly man’s account and we are currently checking CCTV, and speaking to local residents in an attempt to trace the person responsible.

“Anyone who has any information that can assist our enquiries is asked to contact police at the incident room at Cathcart Police Office via telephone number 0141 532 4977 or email greaterglasgowciu@scotland.pnn.police.uk. Both will be manned 24 hours. Please quote incident number 0472 of 20 February when getting in touch.

“Alternatively, calls can be made via CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.”

Additional officers are on patrol in the area for public reassurance and anyone who has information or concerns can speak to them.