About 11.10pm on Friday, May 28, a man entered a service station on Kalandar Street, East Nowra, with a 23-year-old woman.

A scuffle broke out at the rear of the premises, and its alleged the man stole the woman's handbag, before kicking her.

A 23-year-old man who was inside the service station intervened, before the other man allegedly swung a 40 centimetre machete at him and demanded his bag.

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The armed man then fled on foot.

Police were notified, and officers attached to South Coast Police District attended and began an investigation.

Following extensive inquiries, officers, with assistance from the Dog Squad Unit, arrested a 27-year-old Nowra man about 5.40pm Wednesday (June 2) at a home on Mandalay Avenue, Nowra.

In an operation that lasted for close to two hours, police cordoned off a section of Nowra near the Shoalhaven River, bounded by Hyam Street, Scenic Drive and Mandalay Avenue.

Numerous general duties and plain clothes officers were placed at various points around the designated area, with a search, which included the Dog Squad Unit, centering particularly on a bushland area behind the Nowra Aquatic Park.

Police will allege when the man was arrested he was in possession of a live .22 calibre bullet.

He was taken to Nowra Police Station where he was charged with robbery armed with offensive weapon, common assault (domestic violence), stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm, and possessing ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority.

He was refused bail to appear at Nowra Local Court on Thursday.

Read more: Crime/Court

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