DETECTIVES have charged a man with robbery following an incident at the Werribee Plaza shopping centre last Thursday night.
According to police, a 17-year-old was at the shopping centre about 8pm when a man asked him for a cigarette.
The man then asked him to move to an area near the entrance to a nightclub and made demands for money, a mobile phone and cigarettes.
He said he had a knife and threatened to stab the 17-year-old.
The bandit then took a wallet, mobile phone and cigarettes from the victim.
The 17-year-old alerted security and police were called.
A nearby unit patrolling the area went to the scene and while they were speaking to several people, the suspect – who had remained in the area – ran but was chased on foot by a police officer.
The Dog Squad was called in and the man was found in the front yard of a nearby premises.
The 18-year-old man was questioned by detectives from the Footscray Embona Task Force and charged with robbery. He was bailed to appear at the Werribee Magistrates’ Court on 30 July.
