This is the sickening moment a knife-wielding mugger rifled through an elderly man’s pockets while his friend held him in a headlock – as passersby fail to step in and help.

CCTV footage shows the pensioner being grabbed by the two masked men on Beaconsfield Road in Southall, west London, at 9.15pm on January 16.

One of the thieves wrapped his arm tightly around the man’s neck so he couldn’t wriggle free and held his hand over his mouth to stop him screaming for help.

While he had the defenceless elderly man completely overpowered, his vile accomplice rummaged through his pockets with a huge blade visible in his hand.

People are seen casually walking past the violent robbery but none of them stopped to help.

The men only stopped when a younger gentleman came outside of the house they were in front of, prompting them to sprint off in opposite directions.

One of the thieves wrapped his arm tightly around the man’s neck so he couldn’t wriggle free and held his hand over his mouth to stop him screaming for help

While he had the defenceless elderly man completely overpowered, his vile accomplice rummaged through his pockets with a huge blade visible in his hand

One angered local said: ‘How sad are we to walk past this poor man.’

‘And people just walked by and watched. Shame,’ another agreed. 

A third wrote: ‘Oh my God. This is terrifying. I hope he’s okay.’

It comes after grainy footage of the same mugging emerged on Wednesday.

A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘Police have been investigating an allegation of robbery on Beaconsfield Road, Southall, on Friday, 16 January, which was reported by a third party.

‘We have not been able to identify the victim and would urge him to get in touch with officers. No arrests have been made.

‘Anyone with information is asked to contact us on 101, quoting CAD 8737/16JAN26, or anonymously, via Crimestoppers, by calling 0800 555 111.’