Pregnant woman bashed with hammer in Melbourne robbery

A young pregnant woman has been assaulted with a hammer during an armed robbery in Melbourne.

The 24-year-old woman was walking on a Noble Park street at about 11.30pm on Thursday night, when men in a Ford Falcon XR 6 followed her.

Four men wearing masks then got out of the car, demanding her handbag and armed with a baseball bat, a hammer and an axe-shaped weapon, while two others remained in the car, police say.

The men allegedly snatched her handbag and one struck her on the arm with a hammer, causing minor injuries.

Police believe the incident may be connected an attempted carjacking in Huntingdale earlier on Thursday evening, when a driver was approached by men in a similar car who were armed with hammers.