Victoria Police has released images of the moment a man pointed what appears to be a gun at the head of a taxi driver at Ascot Vale in Melbourne’s inner north-west.

The driver was threatened by the man as he was parking his taxi at a block of flats in Savige Street about 12.30am on September 25.

The armed man pulled what appeared to be a handgun from his pocket and demanded cash from the driver, police said.

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He fled empty-handed when the driver threatened to phone police.

The man was last seen running through a nearby skate park.

The next night, another man allegedly threatened to stab a taxi driver in the same suburb.

Detectives have been told the driver was approached by a man outside a fast food restaurant at the corner of Bourke and Russell streets about 3.30am.

He agreed to drive the man to the CBD despite him not having enough money for the fare.

About 15 minutes later the passenger became verbally abusive and aggressive and threatened to stab the driver if he didn’t hand over his money.

The driver told him to get out before the man removed the car’s EFTPOS terminal and smashed it on the ground.

He then fled empty-handed.

The man is described as being in his early 40s with a solid build, gray hair and a beard.

He was wearing a navy blue jumper with a red Puma logo and black Adidas tracksuit pants.