A man wearing a clown mask and armed with an axe has been arrested after approaching customers outside a fast food restaurant in Victoria's south-east.

Victoria Police said members of the public reported seeing the man outside the restaurant on the Princes Freeway in Moe about 3:30am on Sunday.

Police said the man had approached a woman who was alone in her car on Lloyd Street.

He also approached several cars exiting the restaurant's drive-through, police said.

Police said they searched a number of cars at the scene and found a clown mask, axe and baseball bat, before arresting a 23-year-old Eagle Point man.

He has been released and is expected to be charged on summons with assault, weapons, public order and disguise-related offences.

Police said no-one was injured and no property was damaged during the incident.

The arrest comes amid numerous sightings of people dressed in sinister clown costumes in the United States and Canada in recent weeks.

Sorry, this video has expired Authorities warn against copy-cat clowns seen terrorising people in the US

Threatening clowns not funny, police say

Meanwhile, three people dressed as clowns were seen near the Frankston-Dandenong Road at Carrum Downs about 3:30pm on Monday.

Police said they believed two of the clowns were holding fake knives and the other had a cap gun while standing on the side of the road in view of motorists.

However, the three left before police arrived.

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Police said they had responded to similar reports in the area involving school children who were seen with clown masks.

The children were given warnings and told to move away from the area.



Victoria Police have warned against people adopting the trend and said people dressing as clowns and behaving in a threatening way was "simply not funny".

"We understand that some people are getting involved for a bit of fun, however this arrest is a timely reminder that this behaviour is not amusing and, in many cases, it is criminal behaviour," police said in a statement.

"The penalty for possessing an article of disguise is up two years' imprisonment."

"Victoria Police does not tolerate intimidation, the incitement of fear or the carrying of weapons."

Police have warned anyone who is frightened by threatening behaviour to contact triple-0.