Police have charged a 19-year-old man following the armed robbery of a service station earlier this morning.

It will be alleged that around 4.30am a man entered a business on Ash Street armed with a running chainsaw and wearing a bucket on his head. He then made demands for money from the male attendant.

When the attendant didn’t comply, he left on-foot, allegedly causing damage to the store and a car parked in the carpark.

Police located him a short while later.

The 19-year-old Leichhardt man was charged with one count each of armed robbery, going armed so as to cause fear, public nuisance and unlawful possession of suspected stolen property. He was also charged with two counts of wilful damage.

He will appear in the Ipswich Magistrates Court this morning.