Alleged robber's menacing note sends streets into lockdown
Armed robberies don’t come much more frightening or bizarre than this.
Streets in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley streets were sent into lockdown after a man claimed he’d planted a bomb at a service station – but not before he did some early morning shopping.
Hidden beneath a bucket hat and a balaclava, the alleged offender entered the Fortitude Valley Shell service station at 1.13am, telling the attendant he had facial burns.
He then began to browse the store, pacing the service station for the next 30 minutes as he stocked up on everything from ice creams to cigarettes.
When a cab arrived, he handed a note to the service station worker with a menacing message.
“[He] informed me that there was a bomb,” worker Curtis Young said.
“I don’t think anyone could imagine having a bomb used against you, you know, that’s your life on the line.”
The attendant complied, emptying the till and even carrying the man’s shopping to the waiting taxi before raising the alarm.
“Shaken up, shaken up,” he said. “I wouldn’t wish this upon anyone.”
On Tuesday morning the service station was closed for four hours as police locked down surrounding streets.
They managed to catch the 50-year-old alleged culprit just a kilometre away after he was kicked out of the cab.
“Stuff like this, you’ve got to take seriously, whether it’s fake or not,” Curtis said.
The bomb squad confirmed the bomb threat was indeed fake, the so-called bomb just a wine box with wires inside.
