A man has been charged following investigations into a number of armed robberies on service stations in south west and western Sydney this month.

Officers from the Metropolitan Robbery Unit established Strike Force Mabel to investigate a number of armed robberies on service stations, by a man armed with a knife, in south west and western Sydney this month.

About 1.15pm today (Friday 19 September 2016), following investigations, officers from Strike Force Mabel arrested a 28-year-old man at a shopping centre on Station Street, Penrith.

Following his arrest, Strike Force detectives searched a home on Stanley Crescent, Penrith, where they located a number of items. The items were seized and will undergo forensic examinations.

The man was taken to Penrith Police Station where he was charged with five counts of robbery armed with an offensive weapon.

Police will allege that the charges relate to robberies at service stations in the following locations, during which a man was armed with a knife:

-At 7.10pm on 4 September 2016, at Wallgrove Road, Horsley Park

-At 12.35am on 10 September 2016, at Great Western Highway, Minchinbury

-At 8.50pm on 12 September 2016, at Smith Street, South Penrith

-At 10.05pm on 12 September 2016, at Guildford Road, Guildford, and

-At 3.35am on 16 September 2016, at Great Western Highway, Minchinbury.

The man was refused bail and is due to appear at Parramatta Bail Court tomorrow (17 September 2016).