Just before 9.30am on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were called to a shopping centre on Molly Morgan Drive, East Maitland, following reports of a robbery at a jewellery store.

On arrival, police were told a male approached the store and allegedly used an emergency tool to smash the glass of a jewellery cabinet, before fleeing with a number of items.

In other news:

Initial inquiries were conducted by local police, before detectives attached to the State Crime Command's Robbery and Serious Crime Squad took carriage of the matter under Strike Force Malwood.

Following further inquiries - including public appeals for information - a 38-year-old man was arrested by strike force detectives at a home in Tenambit about 7am Wednesday.

During a subsequent search of that home and a second address at East Maitland, police located a seized several items of interest to the investigation for forensic analysis.

The man was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with steal from the person value more than $5000, destroy or damage property, and larceny.

The Tenambit man was granted conditional bail to appear at Maitland Local Court on Wednesday, November 16.

Inquiries continue.

Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.