Police from the Orana Local Area Command are appealing for information after an armed robbery at a service station in Wellington on Sunday morning.
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The console operator at the service station was robbed at knife point on Sunday.
Police allege the male offender was armed with a knife as he entered the Metro Service Station on Arthur Street, Wellington around 9.50am on Sunday, October 8.
The offender threatened the console operator before fleeing the scene with a small amount of cash.
He was last seen heading along Simpson Street.
Inspector Jason Pietruszka said this degree of crime is “extremely rare” in Wellington.
The incident remains under investigation.
Police urge anyone with information in relation to the matter to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the Dubbo Police Station on 6883 1599.
The armed robbery comes amid an increase of break and enters across Wellington.
Inspector Pietruszka said police have observed an increase of around 30 per cent as of October 1.
“We’ve seen a slight increase in break and enter offences generally within the township of Wellington,” he said.
“There’s no specific time when they’re occurring, they vary.
“However there is a bit of a spike at night.”
He said prior to October the rate of break and enters had decreased.
“Generally we’ve had a really significant decrease in break and enters in Wellington.
“So it’s only this month we’ve noticed a slight increase,” he said.
“It’s something we’re very mindful of and we’re working toward resolving.
“We’re increasing our taskings for that area, and we have plain-clothes police working within the area ... obviously at afternoons and nights.
“We just ask members of the community to be aware, make sure their doors and windows are locked.”
Inspector Pietruszka said investigations are continuing into the theft of an ATM from the Federal Hotel in Wellington on September 14.
CCTV footage revealed three people entering the hotel between 4-4.30am.
They broke the ATM out of the floor, loaded it onto a trolley and into a car before leaving the scene.
Inspector Pietruszka also addressed reports of burnt-out vehicles around the township, saying they are not something police are labelling as a crime wave.
