Newcastle police are investigating an armed robbery at a Birmingham Gardens service station.
Just before 7am yesterday, a male shop assistant was approached by an unknown man at a Sandgate Road service station.
Police have been told a man armed with a firearm hit a window, fracturing the glass then kicked open the front door.
The man allegedly took a number of cigarette packets before fleeing the scene.
The offender was described as wearing a dark hooded jacket, light grey tracksuit pants, blue joggers and a blue and white striped bandana.