Brimbank Embona detectives are seeking public assistance following a number of armed robberies over the past two months on convenience stores in the northern and western suburbs.
Between 29 April and 2 May, six businesses have been robbed by armed offenders, stealing cash, cigarettes and other consumable items.
Just before 3am on 29 April, at a convenience store on the Western Highway, at Rockbank a male offender armed with a golf club approached the attendant who was sweeping in the doorway of the store.
The offender, described as wearing a balaclava and hoodie, then made demands on the attendant for cash with both going back inside behind the service counter.
The attendant then handed the offender a quantity of cash from the register, pressing the duress alarm at the same time and.
The offender then stole a number of consumable items from behind the counter and ran from the store.
The offender was observed by the victim to run across the Western Freeway and get into the driver’s seat of an old white vehicle (possibly a Nissan Pulsar)
He was joined by another man waiting behind a nearby tree who got into the passenger side of the car.
The vehicle then drove east on Western Highway toward the city.
Police believe the same man was responsible for an attempted armed robbery approximately 40 minutes earlier at a convenience store in Keilor Road Niddrie
Just after midnight on 30 April, a man armed with a baseball bat entered a service station on Melrose Drive in Tullamarine and demanded cash from the attendant.
As the attendant moved towards a secure area near the cash register, the man swung a baseball bat at him several times.
The man ran from the store empty-handed after the attendant refused to hand over any money.
Approximately 30 minutes later, the same offender entered the convenience store on the corner of Melville Road and Hunter Street, Brunswick West and demanded cash and cigarettes.
The man, again armed with a baseball bat, threatened the attendant and handed him a black bag.
The attendant placed some cigarettes and an amount of money in the bag, before handing it back to the offender, who fled the store.
The man is described as of medium build, wearing a black balaclava, green hooded jumper, black track pants with white stripes down the sides and white gloves.
Around 1.20am on 1 May three men entered the convenience store on the corner of West Road and Boundary Road in Pascoe Vale.
One man remained at the front door as a lookout while the other two entered and produced weapons before making demands.
One was armed with a large knife and the other produced what is thought to be either an air rifle or a .22 calibre longarm.
A number of consumable items were stolen and it is believed that the men fled in a vehicle which is yet to be identified.
Three men entered a convenience store in Parkville around 2.30am on 2 May armed with unknown weapons whilst the staff member was in a cool room.
At least on of the men jumped the counter and stole cash and cigarettes and no contact was made with the attendant.
Two of the offenders are described as wearing black pants and bright yellow tops, with black balaclavas and white gloves and also had their faces covered with red masks.
The third male was wearing grey track pants with a stripe down the legs, a black hoodie, black face mask and white gloves.
They fled in an unknown vehicle.

Police are investigating an armed robbery at a pharmacy in Heathmont last night.
Police have been told that a woman entered the pharmacy in Canterbury Road at 8.10pm, produced a knife and demanded drugs.
Pharmacy staff weren’t too fazed by the woman and told her to go a Ringwood medical centre and see if they could help her.
The woman, a 28-year-old local, apologised to staff, left her knife at the scene and fled.
Police attended the pharmacy, took possession of the knife and interviewed staff members.
As instructed, the woman attended at the medical centre where she was arrested by police.

Investigators from the Brimbank Divisional tasking unit have arrested a woman and her son following an armed robbery on a St Albans bottle shop on April 30.
The 48-year-old woman and her son, 27, both from St Albans were arrested on Wednesday night and appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates Court this morning charged with armed robbery.

Police are seeking public assistance following an armed robbery at a fast-food restaurant in Essendon this morning.
Investigators have been told two men, one armed with a knife, approached a male employee at the rear of the Mount Alexander Road store around 1.15am.
The men, wearing a scarf over their face, allegedly threatened one store attendant, whilst demanding cash from the other.
They fled the store with an amount of cash in a vehicle.
No one was injured during the incident.

Police are seeking public assistance following an armed robbery at a licensed premises in Werribee this afternoon.
Werribee Crime Investigation unit detectives have been told a man the entered cashier section of the gaming venue on Heaths Road about 2pm.
Investigators believe the bandit placed a bag on the counter before producing a silver hand gun and demanding money.
He then fled on a mountain bike south down Heaths Road with an amount of cash.
Detectives believe the man was wearing a ‘Driza-bone’ jacket, an ‘Akubra’ hat and scarf.
No one was injured during the armed robbery.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au

Detectives from Box Hill Embona have charged a man in relation to an alleged armed robbery on a bank in Camberwell last month.
The offence is alleged to have taken place on Saturday, 24 March at a financial institution in Burke Road.
Thirty-year-old David Kruzenga from Ashburton was arrested by investigators today and has since been charged with armed robbery.
He has been remanded to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.

Detectives from the Darebin Crime Investigation Unit have charged two men in relation to a series of armed robberies in the northern suburbs over the past five months.
The arrests are the result of Operation Ancestry which had been operating since January, this year.
A 26-year-old Thornbury man has been bailed to appear at court after being charged with seven counts of burglary, theft and handle stolen goods.
A second man, 22-year-old Peter Atzarakis,  of Mansfield Street, Thornbury was remanded in custody to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on 10 April after being charged with 25 counts of armed robbery and a further 24 associated charges.

Police are investigating an armed robbery at a service station in Reservoir overnight.
The incident happened at 2.15am in Gilbert Road when one man walked into the service station with a firearm and a second man remained outside as lookout.
The offender pointed the firearm at the attendant and demanded cash from the till.
The attendant pulled the till out and the man grabbed some cash before running from the store.
The offender is described as Caucasian, 180cms tall, wearing a black hoodie.

Police are investigating an armed robbery on a woman after she used an automated teller machine outside a bank on Monday.

The incident happened at 2.50pm in The Mall, Templestowe Lower.

The woman, aged in her early 70s, told police that she felt someone close behind her as her money was dispensed from the machine.

She heard a zapping noise and felt a sharp electric shock which caused her to drop to her knees.

A man has then grabbed her money from the machine’s drawer and ran off through an adjacent car park towards Rosa Street.

The man is described as Caucasian, aged 25 -35 years, large build, 180cm tall and weighting approximately 90kgs, with light brown hair and unshaven.

At the time of the incident the man was wearing a Khaki cap, a fluoro yellow and orange jumper and khaki work pants

Police are investigating an armed robbery at a business premises in Shepparton last night.

Investigators have been told that two men armed with firearms entered the premises on Wyndham Street at around 7.15pm.

They made a demand for cash, taking a quantity from the register before leaving on foot towards Wilmot Road.

It is believed they got into a vehicle on Community Street then drove along Colliver Road where they collided with a fence.

A subsequent search of the area by police failed to locate the men.

Detectives from the Shepparton Crime Investigation Unit are investigating and would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident.