Vic man beaten with steering wheel lock

He should be excitedly planning for a cruise with his son.

But instead a 52-year-old Melbourne man is in hospital after a thief bashed him to the head with a steering wheel lock and stole his passport, airline and cruise tickets early on Monday.

Senior Constable Bilal Taffaha said two men carried out the brazen and unprovoked attack and theft as the man was smoking a cigarette and talking to a passenger in the car.

One man bashed him in the head with the steering wheel lock and then the two ransacked his car. They also stole a wallet, bag and jewellery.

The Princes Hill man had purchased the tickets to go on a cruise with his son.

He was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and will need surgery.

The victim described the attackers as being of African appearance, one was about 25 years-old with a medium build.