Two men have been charged following investigations into armed robberies in Sydney’s west and the Hunter Region.

About 10.10pm last Sunday (27 September 2015), a man armed with a sledgehammer forced his way into a licensed club on Clark Street, Telarah, and threatened the three staff members, demanding cash.

The man took cash from the safe before running from the location.

Police from Central Hunter Local Area Command attended and established a crime scene, which was examined by specialist forensic officers.

Local police were assisted by detectives from State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad, who have been investigating a series of similar armed robberies in Sydney’s west under Strike Force Fawcett.

Just after 7am on Tuesday (29 September 2015), Strike Force detectives stopped a vehicle on Wentworth Street, Telarah, and the male driver ran from the vehicle.

Officers conducted a search of the area with the assistance of the Dog Unit, and located the man under a nearby house. A loaded Ruger pistol was also located and seized.

Following a search of the vehicle, police located and seized cash and a green powder believed to be opiate-based.

A search warrant was subsequently executed at a home on Wentworth Street, where detectives located and seized clothing and precursor chemicals believed to be used to manufacture prohibited drugs.

The 28-year-old man was arrested and taken to Maitland Police Station, where he was charged with robbery armed with offensive weapon, deal with property suspected proceeds of crime, possess unauthorised pistol, possess ammunition without holding licence, possess loaded firearm public place, and not keep firearm safely.

He has been refused bail to reappear at Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday 11 November 2015.

Following further inquiries, Strike Force detectives executed a search warrant at a home unit on Higgins Street, Penrith, about 9.15am yesterday (1 October 2015).

Police located and seized clothing, bags and other items.

A 26-year-old man was later arrested at Ingleburn and taken to Macquarie Fields Police Station, where he was charged with two counts of robbery while armed with dangerous weapon; robbery armed with offensive weapon, break, enter and steal, and resist officer in execution of duty.

Police will allege the charges relate to armed robberies at Vineyard on Sunday 5 April 2015 and Tuesday 28 April 2015, an attempted armed robbery at Penrith on Monday 1 June 2015, and a break-in at a hardware store in Penrith on Friday 12 June 2015.

He has been refused bail to appear at Campbelltown Local Court today (Friday 2 October 2015).

Inquiries are continuing.