A thief disguised as a police officer was part of a gang that robbed a man at knifepoint in his home.

The bogus officer was joined by two other robbers, one armed with a blade, before raiding the 37-year-old's house in Somerset Gardens, Ayr, at around 8.30am on Wednesday.

The trio stole the victim's mobile phone before fleeing the scene.

Although one of the thieves was armed, no one was injured in the incident.

The bogus officer, who is believed to be in his early 30s, had a stocky build and was wearing glasses and a black t-shirt under a police vest.

The second suspect, who was in possession of a blade, was described as in his mid-20s with short black hair and a moustache. He spoke with an English accent.

The third man, who was bald and about 5ft tall, was said to be around 40-years-old with a "wrinkly face with a number of teeth missing".

Detective sergeant Jane Hogg said: "I would like to take this opportunity to emphasise to members of the public to be extremely cautious when opening your door if you are not expecting any visitors, even those who purport to be police officers.

"Fortunately, no one has been seriously injured as a result of this incident.

"We are encouraging anyone who may have seen any of the three men that fit this description in or around the area at the time of the incident to get in contact.

"We are also appealing for anyone that may have CCTV or dashcam footage from the surrounding streets."