Police are hunting a bandit believed responsible for at least four eastern suburbs armed robberies in a 12 hour period.
Members were first called to an armed robbery at a convenience store at the corner of Waverley and Huntingdale Roads, Mount Waverley around 5.30pm yesterday afternoon.
They were told that a man armed with a screwdriver had threatened staff and stolen cash.
Around 1am this morning investigators believe that the same man was responsible for a similar armed robbery at a convenience store at the corner of Waverley and Batesford Roads in Malvern East.
They believe that the offender then returned to the Huntingdale Road business at 1.15am and robbed the store again.
Detectives believe the man then travelled to Glen Waverley and held up a convenience store on Blackburn Road near Meadow Crescent at 2.30am.
In each robbery the offender has used a screwdriver, threatened staff and stolen cash.
He is described as Caucasian, in his 30s, 175-180 centimetres tall, slim build and bald.
At the time of the offences he was wearing a black top and dark pants.

Police are appealing for witnesses following an armed robbery at a retail store in South Yarra last month.

Detectives have been told a man entered the store on Chapel Street just before 6pm on Wednesday 13 June.

It is believed the man produced a handgun before demanding the shop assistant open the till to the cash register.

The bandit grabbed cash from the till and fled the scene.

Investigators said the offender then ran to another retail store across the street where he also produced the handgun at the female assistant, demanding she open the till.

The woman refused to open the till and the man ran from the store empty handed.

He was last seen walking towards Cliff Street in Prahran.

The man is described as being 180cm tall with dark blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail.

He was wearing a long navy overcoat.

Police are appealing for witnesses following an armed robbery at a Northcote golf course this morning.
Police have been told two men believed to be armed with a firearm and a crow bar entered the grounds on Thornbury Road around 7am.
They confronted an employee at a rear shed of the club house and threatened the 29-year-old man, demanding he open the shop.
The victim did not have access to the shop and the offenders stole a small quantity of cash from the man’s wallet.
The Coburg man was not injured during the incident.
The pair believed to be aged in their 20s, were last seen walking east on Normanby Avenue.
The armed robbers are described to be Caucasian in appearance with a medium build.
They were both last seen wearing dark coloured clothing and beanies.

Detectives have charged a 37-year-old man following two alleged armed robberies in Melbourne’s inner suburbs last month.
It is believed the offender armed with a firearm, allegedly entered convenience stores in Ascot Vale and Collingwood on the 23 and 26 June.
The Craigieburn man was arrested in Macaulay Road Kensington around midday yesterday.
Joseph Whitehead was remanded and charged with three counts of armed robbery and one count of attempted robbery.
He is expected to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ court today.

Police are appealing for witnesses following an armed robbery at a milk bar in Seaford this morning.
Detectives have been told that a man armed with a knife entered the store on McRae Street around 11.20am.
It’s alleged the offender made threats to the female staff member and made demands for cash.
The attendant handed over a small amount of cash before the bandit fled the store.
The man fled the scene in an unknown direction.
No one was injured.
The offender is described as being aged 30 to 40-years-old, Caucasian in appearance with blonde receding hair.
He was wearing a dark coloured hooded jacket with a white stripe on each arm and blue pants.

Police are searching for three men following an armed robbery at the Coburg Drive In on Newlands Road last night.
The incident happened at 9.30pm when three men, two wearing masks and one with his T shirt pulled over his head, forced their way into the front ticket booth.
The men were armed with a crowbar and a machete.
Once inside the booth they demanded the attendant to empty the till into a cream coloured money bag they had with them.
The victim gave the men an amount of money and the three men fled from the scene.
The police canine unit attended, with the dog locating the t shirt in Joyce Street, but unable to locate the offenders.
No one was injured in the incident.

Police are searching for a man believed to be responsible for two armed robberies overnight.
The first incident happened at 11.15pm when the man walked into a convenience store at the corner of Blackburn and Waverley roads in Glen Waverley armed with a screwdriver.
The man threatened the attendant and was given an amount of cash before fleeing from the store.
A search was conducted, using the police dog squad, which resulted in investigators finding a hoodie, sunglasses and a screwdriver not far from the scene.
The second incident occurred at 1.55am when the man struck again at another convenience store at the corner of Huntingdale and Waverley roads in Mount Waverley.
Once again, the offender was armed with a screwdriver, he threatened the staff member who gave him cash from the register before the man fled from the store.
The man is described as Caucasian, medium build, 183cms tall, wearing a bright orange fluoro jacket.

Police are searching for two men following an armed robbery at a Chinese restaurant in the Wantirna mall last night.
Investigators have been told that two men, armed with firearms, entered the restaurant around 9pm and held up staff and patrons.
One man approached a female staff member standing at the register and demanded money.
The woman handed the man an amount of money from the till.
The second man approached a group of patrons, banged the firearm on the table, and also demanded money.
The patrons emptied their wallets and purses onto the table and then handed the cash to the offender.
Both men, who were wearing white hoodies and sunglasses then fled from the store heading east on Thaxted Parade.
No one was injured in the incident.

Police are on the hunt for a heartless thief who held up a cancer clinic in East Melbourne this afternoon.
The man, armed with a knife, threatened a security guard manning a booth near the entrance to the Peter MacCallum Centre car park shortly after 5pm.
The robber stole an amount of cash and left the St Andrews Place car park in an early model Nissan pulsar sedan.
Detectives are investigating and are calling for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.
The man police wish to speak to is described as being Caucasian, aged in his early 30s and between 172cm and 182cm tall, with a slim build and dark hair.
He was wearing reading glasses with square frames and a blue rain proof jacket at the time of the incident.

Police are investigating an armed robbery with occurred at a supermarket in the Vermont South shopping centre last night.
Investigators have been told that two offenders entered the supermarket, in the centre on Burwood Road, around 11.20pm armed with meat cleavers.
The men, who had their faces covered with masks, approached staff at the service counter, threatened them and demanded cash.
The men were given an amount of cash before fleeing from the store.
No injuries were sustained by customers or staff members in the supermarket.
The men are described as both being approximately 185cms tall, with one man wearing a light coloured hoodie with a black mask and the other man, wearing a dark coloured hoodie with a white mask.