NSW shopping complex robbers charged

Four accused robbers, three of them teenage boys, have been charged after they were allegedly caught in the act during a midnight police sting at a shopping centre.

Their arrests follow robberies on four businesses in the same regional NSW complex at Armidale in the past month.

Officers were waiting when, just before midnight on Thursday, the gang allegedly threatened staff at a food outlet with a knife, a brick and slabs of timber.

The 22-year-old, two 19-year-olds and a 17-year-old were immediately arrested and have been charged with aggravated armed robbery.

One of the 19-year-olds has also been charged over a separate armed hold-up earlier in September.

All four have been refused bail to appear in Armidale Local Court on Friday.