Townsville police are searching for a man who robbed a Townsville drive-through bottle shop last night.

Preliminary investigations indicate that at around 7pm a man entered the Bayswater Road business and attempted to leave without paying for alcohol.

When challenged by a male store employee, the man indicated that he had a knife and verbally threatened the employee before fleeing on foot.

He is described as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in appearance, aged in his late 30’s with a proportionate build and short black hair. He was wearing a white long sleeve shirt over a red /maroon shirt and blue denim jeans with a black cap.

No one was physically injured and police investigations are continuing.