Police are investigating after an armed robbery on the Mid North Coast overnight.
About 8.15pm (Sunday 25 July 2021), a 67-year-old male employee was inside a bowling club on Combined Street, Wingham, when three men – armed with knives and a samurai sword – entered the club.
Two of the men demanded cash from the employee before he was struck with a knife.
The third man approached a 43-year-old male patron and threatened him with a sword. During an altercation, the patron was able to wrestle the weapon from the armed man.
All three men fled the scene with cash a short time later in a Volkswagen Tiguan, believed to have been stolen from a Port Macquarie home the previous night (Saturday 24 July 2021).
The vehicle has since been located abandoned in Taree; it has been seized for forensic examination.
Officers from Manning-Great Lakes Police District established a crime scene and have commenced an investigation with assistance from the State Crime Command's Robbery and Serious Crime Squad.
The employee and patron were both taken to Manning Base Hospital for treatment to minor hand injuries.
As investigations continue, police are urging anyone who may have dashcam footage from the surrounding area between 8pm and 8.30pm or who may have seen or heard anything to contact Taree Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
