Thieves in balaclavas beat and robbed man at flat in Airdrie

A 57-year-old man was beaten by two men wearing balaclavas, who forced their way into his home and robbed him.

Police said the "brutal" attack happened at a flat in Dervaig Gardens, in Upperton, Airdrie, on Wednesday.

The man told police he had responded to a knock at his door at about 20:30 and found a man in a balaclava poised to attack. He was joined by another man wearing a similar mask.

The pair later made off with a three-figure sum of money.

'Sustained and brutal'

Officers said the householder was repeatedly struck by both men as he tried to prevent them entering his home, causing him to suffer head and facial injuries.

Det Con Thomas Kiernan said: "This was a very sustained and brutal attack, which has left this man with various facial and head injuries that required medical treatment.

"The area where this robbery occurred is quite rural therefore I appeal to residents in the local area to think back to whether they saw the two suspects hanging around the area or saw anything else a bit out of the ordinary on the evening of Wednesday 27 September."