Police say they found the abandoned car in Armidale but will not disclose the exact location.

"They have taken the vehicle back to the police station for examination, and hopefully we will get the DNA of one or more of the people who were in attendance at the local service station in the early hours of Monday morning," Walcha Station Sergeant Anthony Smith said.

At approximately 12.30am on Monday, March 4, four offenders in a stolen Holden Captiva drove into the driveway of the Transwest Fuels owned Apsley Motors service station in Fitzroy Street, Walcha.

The group then forced entry into the premises through the front glass door. Three people entered and removed a cigarette case from above the front counter and a small safe containing the weekend takings from underneath the counter.

Unable to open the rear door of the stolen vehicle the offenders left the cigarette cabinet on the driveway of the service station when they drove off with the unopened safe.

When police attended the scene shortly afterwards, they immediately checked with colleagues across the region for any reports of stolen cars. Armidale police advised the Holden Captiva was stolen just before midnight on Sunday, March 3 which fitted the description of the car captured on CCTV footage from the premises.

The following morning detectives and crime scene police met at Apsley Motors, and the investigation is ongoing.

On its Facebook page, the business said it wanted to thank the "local boys in blue for their prompt response."

Police are appealing for anyone with anyone information to contact Crime Stoppers on 131 444.