Court releases CCTV of Blair Noel Ormsby robbing a Pooraka service station with a box cutter

An “erratic” concreter promised a servo attendant an IOU after robbing him with a box cutter – before using the stolen cash to buy snacks from him. Watch the CCTV footage.

A man in a drug-fuelled daze robbed a service station employee with a box cutter before buying snacks off the same worker, CCTV footage reveals.

Blair Noel Ormsby, 47, committed the bizarre robbery after he lost his wallet on a night out and his hunger got the better of him.

The District Court on Monday heard Ormsby attended the Pooraka On The Run service station shortly before 7am on May 8, 2020.

Ormsby approached the attendant with a box cutter in his hand and said words to the effect of “I’ve got no money, I’m going to need some”.

“You then said to him ‘don’t worry, I’ll pay you back’,” Judge Geraldine Davison said during sentencing.

In the CCTV footage released by the court, Ormsby can be seen in a white singlet behaving bizarrely before taking $50 from the attendant.

Moments later, he returns with snacks, including orange juice, chocolate, cheese and hand sanitiser, which he uses the $50 to pay for and accepts the change.

He then puts his jacket on and leaves.

Blair Ormsby took $50 from the service attendant. Photo: Courts SA

He then bought a variety of snacks with the money. Photo: Courts SA

He was arrested by police shortly after and told police he only intended to borrow the money so he could get some food.

Ormsby also said he used the box cutter for work and had no idea why he was holding it during the robbery.

“The attendant was undoubtedly shaken and rattled … your behaviour must have appeared very unusual and certainly very erratic,” Judge Davison said.

The Hectorville father pleaded guilty to assault and theft.

Blair Ormsby dodged jail for assault and theft. Photo: Facebook

The court heard Ormsby did not cope well after his marriage broke down and he turned to meth, which he was using at the time of the offending.

The court heard Ormsby was born in New Zealand and works as concreter, including FIFO work in Queensland.

Judge Davison said the offending was serious and service station attendants need to be protected.

“Targets such as service stations are vulnerable targets where people have to work at odd hours and serve whoever comes along,” she said.

Judge Davison sentenced Ormsby to two years and two months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and two months.

Considering his rehabilitation efforts, the sentence was suspended on a two-year good behaviour bond, with supervision.