Man threatened with a knife during violent kidnapping outside Eltham milk bar

A man was held at knifepoint and forced into a car near an Eltham milk bar amid a spate of armed robberies across Melbourne.

A knife was used during a violent kidnapping outside a milk bar amid a spate of armed robberies across Melbourne.

Nine petrol stations and grocery stores were targeted on Tuesday in two separate investigations into armed robberies across Melbourne’s east and west.

A third investigation into an alleged kidnapping and assault outside an Eltham milk bar is also underway.

Detectives say a 59-year-old man was attending a Pitt St milk bar when two offenders confronted him with a knife about 6pm.

The pair forced him into their Mercedes sedan and are accused of assaulting him and demanding cash while driving him to the river.

He was released in a carpark next to the Yarra River at Fitzsimons Lane in Eltham before fleeing the area.

The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Police believe it to be a targeted attack and say it is not linked to the series of violent armed robberies on Tuesday.

A gang of four youths were arrested after four petrol stations and bottle shops were targeted in Melbourne’s west late at night.

Cash, cigarettes and alcohol were allegedly taken from the stores at Tottenham, Derrimut and Tarneit.

The alleged offenders used at least one edged weapon during the robberies and fled in a stolen Audi sedan.

A 20-year-old Glenroy man, a 19-year-old Wallan man, an 18-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy were arrested and are expected to be interviewed.

Police spotted the vehicle on Leakes Rd and followed it along the Princes Freeway and through the various back streets of Spotswood, Yarraville and Seddon.

They were finally caught on Chatham St in Footscray.

Earlier in the day, in a separate crime spree, five IGA stores were subject to further violent armed robberies.

A group of masked offenders, armed with a machete and a crowbar, are believed to have hit stores at Wonga Park, Cranbourne West, Studfield, Chelsea Heights and Glen Waverley.

“It’s what you see every time,” one staff member said. An elderly man who attempted to intervene at the Chelsea Heights IGA was injured but returned to the store on Wednesday.

The three separate investigations are ongoing.

Originally published as Man threatened with a knife during violent kidnapping outside Eltham milk bar