Bruce Croft, 38, of Melton South, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday charged with four counts of armed robbery, three counts of false imprisonment, one count of attempted armed robbery, two counts of shop stealing, one count of conduct endangering life, and driving offences.

His arrest on Saturday ended a crime spree that began on Thursday night, when police said Croft forced a Melton mother to drive to her home while he held a knife to her three-year-old daughter's throat.

Carly, who wanted to be known only by her first name, had been shopping at Coburns Central when it is alleged Croft held a knife to her daughter's throat and demanded she drive to her home to give him money. He later dumped the pair at Melton Waves Leisure Centre and stole Carly's blue Ford Falcon.

He allegedly struck again at an ATM at Bakery Square in downtown Melton, where he robbed a Japanese woman before escaping in Carly's car.

Police said Croft later dumped the car in Caroline Springs before hijacking a black Honda Jazz in the Burnside shopping centre.

He ordered the woman to drive to a service station where she escaped and he fled after being confronted.

The spree came to an end on Saturday afternoon when Croft walked into Tasman Market Fresh in High Street, where police said he attempted to steal products from the store. The man was known to the shop manager, who ordered him to leave. The manager then recognised the man's stolen car from a newspaper article and called police with the details.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Byrt, of Footscray police, said the man evaded police in Melton but was again spotted "committing theft offences in the Kyneton area".

Police chased him for about 40 minutes through Gisborne and Sunbury before arresting him in Tullamarine.

Croft was remanded in custody to reappear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on May 3.