Two men and one woman will face robbery charges on the state’s Central Coast today.

About 1.30am on Sunday 22 January 2012, police responded to reports of an attempted robbery at a taxi company on Merindee Street, West Gosford.

Police were told that three people wearing gloves and face coverings had entered the premises. Unable to access the area where cash is kept, they left a short time later empty-handed.

About an hour later, a man entered a newsagency on Mitchell Drive, Kariong, and allegedly threatened a 49-year-old staff member with a 30-centimetre firearm.

The 49-year-old handed over some cash from his wallet before the other man demanded that he open the shop’s two safes.

When the staff member said he did not know the combinations, the man allegedly took a number of chocolate bars before fleeing the premises.

About 20 minutes later, Tuggerah Lakes Highway Patrol officers spotted a vehicle matching the description of a car seen near the taxi company at the time of the attempted robbery.

They followed the car to a service station on the Pacific Highway, Ourimbah, where they arrested the three occupants – two men, aged 18 and 26, and a 21-year-old woman, all from Killarney Vale – and took them to Gosford Police Station.

During a subsequent search of the vehicle, police seized a loaded rifle and a replica pistol.

The woman and two men were charged with armed robbery with a dangerous weapon (attempted), and armed robbery with a dangerous weapon. The men were additionally charged with possession of a loaded firearm in a public place.

All three were refused bail to appear in Gosford Local Court today (Monday 23 January 2012).

About 2.45pm yesterday, detectives attached to Strike Force Blumer executed search warrants at properties in Main Street and Avery Street, Killarney Vale, as well as Langford Street at Kariong and The Entrance Road, The Entrance.

Police seized several items of interest that may be linked to other robbery offences.

Strike Force Blumer comprises detectives from the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad, Tuggerah Lakes Local Area Command and Brisbane Water Local Area Command. It is investigating a number of robberies in the Central Coast and Hunter regions.