Police search for possible gang terrorising Brisbane's southside
Police in Queensland are reviewing security pictures of five armed hold-ups in Brisbane to determine if they could be linked.
The hold-ups occurred on Sunday in Brisbane, all within the space of ten hours.
During one incident, a worker was threatened with knives and then kicked in the face.
Meanwhile, at Oxley, a man with a rifle ran through a hotel and fired a shot in front of terrified staff and patrons.
He entered the Oxley Hotel at around 10pm, with a long arm rifle which was loaded.
When staff were cleaning up, he tried to clean them out.
"He meant business," Superintendent Jim Keogh told 7 News.
"Horribly terrifying for the people that are there."
In front of petrified patrons he demanded money from staff members, before a shot was let off into the ceiling.
"It looked like a panicked discharge," Superintendent Jim Keogh said.
The man then fled empty handed.
"He's taken a loaded firearm into a public bar during opening time. That's a very serious situation," Superintendent Jim Keogh said.
Two hours earlier there was violence at The Colmslie Hotel when two men ran into the bottle shop.
One of them was armed with two knives, which he held to the neck of a worker and demanded cash.
The employee was then ordered to the ground, and as he cowered he was kicked in the face.
"He sustained a broken nose," said Superintendent Jim Keogh.
Earlier in the evening, a man armed with a gun held up an Upper Mount Gravatt bottle shop.
A female employee at a Taringa store was threatened by a gunman yesterday.
And at a Wynnum video store a screwdriver was used to terrify staff.
While the hold-ups happened in different suburbs and involved different weapons, police say the common theme was the level of desperation shown by the offenders, 7News reports.
Police are investigating if the events are linked.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page.
News break – July 4
