Knife raiders

POLICE are ramping up patrols of Greater Dandenong service stations in a bid to catch two knife-wielding bandits who have stolen cash and cigarettes from two sites in the past week.
Officers from the Frankston Embona Taskforce are investigating two armed robberies, one at Noble Park’s BP Service Station on Heatherton Road on 16 July, and the other at Springvale’s Liberty Service Station on Springvale Road on 17 July.
Detective Senior Constable Mark Fitt said police had linked the two crimes and were now concerned that the pair of bandits would strike again.
But he said police would increase their chances of catching the thieves by working with local units to patrol service stations across the city.
“The time frame in which these robberies have occurred has got us concerned that (the bandits) will strike again soon,” Det Sen Const Fitt said.
He warned service station attendants to comply with demands to avoid provoking the armed thieves.
“There is no need to get hurt, so I would suggest just complying with demands, contacting police and taking as much notice of the offenders’ appearance as they can.
“That will assist with the arrest of them.”
The Embona Taskforce has released security footage stills for the public to assist with identifying the offenders.
The latest incident at the Liberty service station on Springvale Road, Springvale, happened at 8.15pm on Tuesday – just one day after the duo’s first strike.
A police statement said two men entered the service station, one armed with a large serrated knife.
The knife-wielding bandit jumped the counter, grabbed the attendant and pushed him towards the cash register.
Police said the bandit took cash and cigarettes and his accomplice then stole the attendant’s wallet and mobile phone before they both fled from the scene down Rosalie Street.
In the first incident at the BP Service Station on 16 July at 6.20pm, the two men entered the service station and produced a large serrated knife and threatened a 65-year-old attendant to hand over cash.
Police said one man stood in the doorway while the other stole the cash.
The police dog squad was called in but was unsuccessful in tracking the thieves.
Anyone with information on the armed robberies, or who can identify the thieves, should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.