Police have released an image of two men as their investigations into an armed robbery at East Maitland early yesterday morning.

About 3.20am (Tuesday 15 January 2019), two men entered a service station on the New England Highway and approached the console operator.

One man engaged the employee in a conversation and asked for cigarettes while the second man took items from the rear of the store.

When the man told the employee that he did not have any money the employee refused to hand over the cigarettes.

The man threatened the console operator with a bottle he was carrying, but the man refused to hand over any items.

After walking around the counter, the man pushed the employee, taking cigarettes from him.

At this time the second man searched the employees backpack before both men fled from the service station in a westerly direction.

Police from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were called and established a crime scene.

A search of the area was unsuccessful.

Investigators have released an image of two men they believe may be able to assist with inquiries.

The first man is described as being aged between 30 and 35-years of age and about 170cm tall. He had a medium build and was wearing a black cap, ‘Dallas Cowboys’ NFL shirt and camouflage pants. He carried a brown bottle.

The second man was about 20-years-old and 165cm tall with a medium build. He wore a black cap, black long-sleeved shirt and grey track-pants.