Armed robbers target Sydney cinema Robbed: the Roseville Cinema. Photo: Lisa Iley Up to 20 cinemagoers and staff members were threatened with a shotgun and a machete during a terrifying armed robbery at the historic Roseville Cinemas on Monday night. Four armed men, who had their faces partially covered, burst into the cinema on the Pacific Highway just after 8pm on Monday as patrons arrived to watch two films that were due to start screening. Police say the men threatened the patrons with their weapons and demanded they hand over their personal belongings. The men also threatened staff members working at the box office. They escaped with cash from the staff members, but failed to steal any items from the patrons. The thieves fled in a 2003 Nissan Pulsar, registration number YGT 582, which police said was stolen from Lane Cove earlier on Monday night. No-one was injured in the robbery, which took just a matter of minutes. Detectives believe the same thieves are responsible for a second robbery at the Revesby Pacific Hotel, about 30 kilometres away, two hours later. Three men entered the hotel on River Road just after 10pm armed with a shotgun and threatened the manager. The men escaped with cash and cigarettes before fleeing in the same blue Nissan Pulsar that was used in the Roseville Cinemas robbery. That car was found burnt-out about 12.50am at a reserve in Westville Place, Westmead. Police set up crime scenes at the cinema and hotel last night and have appealed for anyone with information about the thieves to come forward. Detectives are investigating whether the cinema robbery was captured on CCTV camera. The family-owned cinema was also the target of another armed robbery in 2007. In that incident, a man wearing a balaclava entered the cinema at 11.15pm and threatened a female staff member with a knife and demanded money from the safe before running off. The Roseville Cinemas building was erected in the early 1900s as a town hall, where the first Australian recruitment drive for soldiers was held at the outbreak of World War 1. After the war it was transformed into a picture palace, and has remained a family-owned business since the 1930s. The cinema has been contacted for comment. Anyone with information about the robberies has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.