A knife-wielding man has been arrested by police after a fog cannon was activated at a jewellery store in Newmarket.

Inspector Daniel Meade said there was an attempted aggravated robbery at the store, understood to be the Michael Hill in the Westfield Newmarket mall, at about 1.23pm.

The mall was evacuated as a precaution, police said.

Meade said a worker activated the alarm after a man entered the store armed with a knife before the fog cannon was activated.

He said police were on the scene within minutes and one person was taken into custody.

“No one else is being sought in relation to this incident,” he said.

“The store’s staff should be commended for remaining calm throughout the incident and following protocol ensuring no one was injured.”

Meade said incidents like this can have an impact on the victims and the community, but he hoped the quick arrest will “reinforce our commitment to keeping our community safe”.