An elderly man was punched in the face, flung to the ground and robbed by a man who police believe carried out a similar attack the day before.

Detectives from Box Hill Embona taskforce, which investigates street robberies, are searching for a man who allegedly followed a man off a bus on Carbine Street in Donvale in the afternoon of December 12.

The 74-year-old victim got off the bus about 4pm when he was followed by the attacker.

The man then approached him from behind. He lifted him off the ground, punched him in the face and chest and stole cash before fleeing.

The victim was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.