Newcastle Police are investigating an early-morning armed robbery on a service station at Lambton.
The male console operator at the 7-11 outlet on Croudace Road left the store to put rubbish in a bin around 2am when he was confronted by a man wielding a gun who pushed him back into the shop.
A second man followed them armed with a machete, while a third man stood guard at the door.
Money was taken from the cash register before the 3 bandits fled on foot.