POLICE are urging people to keep their mobile phones hidden after the third knife-point robbery in Newport in eight days.

The latest attack at St Woolos Cemetery in Bassaleg Road, saw a young man have his mobile phone taken by two white men.

The victim, aged around 20, was in the cemetery on his mobile phone to his girlfriend at around 2pm on Wednesday when the robbers struck. Last Saturday at 1.10am, a 16-year-old boy was robbed of his mobile phone and wallet by a knife-wielding man in Caerleon Road, Maindee.

In the early hours of February 10 a man was held at knife-point by two male attackers who forced him to hand over £200 from a cash point. The incident happened on Chepstow Road, near the George pub.

Detective Inspector Dave Edwards from Gwent Police said: "We would appeal for witnesses from the three locations.

"We are looking to connect the two mobile phone robberies but believe the cashpoint robbery is unrelated.

"We would ask people to keep their mobile phones hidden from view. It is a real concern that there have been three such similar incidents in a short space of time."

In the latest attack at St Woolos Cemetery one of the attackers produced a lock knife.

They took a mobile phone in a Phones 4 U carrier bag that the victim had just bought.

They also took some cash and a credit card before making off towards Bassaleg Road.

Detectives say the victim was threatened but not injured. One of the men is described as 6ft 2ins tall of slim build, with a shaved head.

He was aged about 22 and was wearing a light blue Nike jacket and black tracksuit bottoms.

The other man, aged 19 to 20, was of medium build and was around 5ft 11ins tall.

He had short, black, curly hair with stubble on his chin and a black moustache.

He was wearing a PVC-type long-sleeve jacket, blue jeans, yellow Timberland boots and an Adidas hat. Anyone with information should call 01633 838111.