Edgeworth man charged over armed robbery of Iron Horse Hotel at Cardiff

A 27-year-old man has become the third person charged over the early morning heist after police allegedly chased him through an Edgeworth creek.

Detectives investigating the alleged gun robbery of a popular Cardiff pub have made a third arrest after an Edgeworth man was allegedly chased through a creek before being taken into custody.

Strike Force Hawksview was established after two masked men allegedly threatened two employees of the Iron Horse Hotel with a gun and a meat cleaver about 12.20am on January 25.

The workers, a 52-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, were not physically injured and rang authorities after the bandits left with a cash register.

Lake Macquarie detectives were joined by investigators from the state’s robbery and serious crime squad before two men, aged 32 and 33, were charged with their alleged roles in the robbery.

The Iron Horse Hotel at Cardiff. Picture: Google maps

Both men remain before the courts.

Investigations led detectives, with the assistance of the Newcastle City target action group, to an Edgeworth address about 1pm on Wednesday.

“On arrival, a 27-year-old man led police on a short foot pursuit and attempted to evade them by swimming through a nearby creek,” police said in a statement.

“He was located hiding in nearby bushland a short time later, then arrested and taken to Toronto police station.”

The man was later charged with robbery while armed with dangerous weapon and four counts of disqualified driving.

Police will allege that the man was one of three responsible for the Iron Horse Hotel robbery.

He was refused bail to appear in Toronto Local Court on Thursday.