An unwitting complaint to police about dangerous driving helped net the arrest of three young men for a knifepoint robbery of a central Tauranga petrol station overnight.

Three young men will face Tauranga District Court today after the crime at Z service station on Cameron Rd and 11th Ave.

About 10.10pm yesterday, two males entered the station with their faces covered by bandanas - one brandishing a knife and the other a knuckle duster weapon.

Senior Sergeant Shannon Clifford said the males allegedly threatened the shop keeper and taken money, cigarettes and food.

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The men ran from the scene, heading down St John St before getting into a getaway car.

The vehicle has driven off at speed down 11th Avenue towards Waihi Road.

The males were found at a Tauranga address not long after the robbery.

The stolen property was recovered and the three males aged 17, 20 and 22 have been held in custody to appear in court this morning.

Mr Clifford said there were no outstanding offenders and there were no injuries to the service station attendant.

This morning, Senior Sergeant Chris Summerville told the Bay of Plenty Times it was with help from a motorists concerned at a car driving badly which helped tip police off to who the offenders were.

"The person didn't know about the robbery. So no matter how inconsequential the information might seem we were able to put two and two together and locate them."

If anyone has any further information to offer, please contact Acting Detective Sergeant Schrafft at the Tauranga Police station on 577 4389, or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.