Police have released CCTV footage of a patron attacking a machete-wielding man who was attempting to rob a Melbourne gaming venue.
Two men smashed their way through a window to get into the venue at St Albans, in Melbourne's north-west, on November 12.
One was carrying a machete while the other was armed with a metal pole.
The footage, released by Victoria Police in an effort to find the suspects, showed one man waving the machete while he threatened one of the patron.
Initially the patron fended off the would-be robber with his hands, but he then came back with a punch to the armed man's head.
The patron then tried to kick the machete from the offender's hand and punching him in the back.
The second offender watched on during the attack.
The confrontation moved away from the camera and eventually the offender re-emerged to menace another man before leaving empty-handed.
The patron suffered minor cuts to his head.
Police believe the incident could be linked to at least three recent armed robberies involving guns, including another attempted hold-up at the St Albans venue.
"It's probably only luck up to this point that someone hasn't been seriously injured," Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said.
Police are looking for two suspects, including a man of Maori or Islander appearance with a New Zealand accent and a slim man of medium height with an Australian accent.
