Robber “ax” up

An unidentified hatchet-wielding man robbed a gas station early Friday, Huntington Beach police said.

At about 12:40 a.m. Friday, a short man in a hooded sweat-shirt walked into the Chevron station in the 8900 block of Adams avenue, authorities said. After asking to buy cigarettes, he pulled out a hatchet and threatened the clerk, demanding money from the register, police said.

The clerk handed over the money, but he then wrested the hatchet away from the robber. The man escaped with an unknown amount of cash and drove off in a small red compact car, according to police. The clerk suffered a minor cut to the hand but did not need to be hospitalized, authorities said.

The suspect has not yet been found, police said.