St George man charged with armed robbery after allegedly pulling knife during booze heist

A South West Queensland man is facing serious charges after he allegedly pulled a knife on a staff member of a local pub and made off with a bottle of ‘premium’ liquor.

St George police have charged an 18-year-old man with armed robbery.

An 18-year-old St George man has been charged with armed robbery after he allegedly terrorised a staff member of a local hotel as he stole a bottle of liquor from behind the bar.

Police allege the man had tried twice before to gain entry into the hotel, until he was successful on his third attempt.

On August 9, the man allegedly jumped the hotel’s rear fence, and attempted to gain entry at about midnight.

He left when he found the door locked but, as he was leaving, allegedly kicked the rear view mirror of a Holden Commodore parked on the street.

A few days later, the man allegedly returned to the hotel, again climbing over the rear fence at about 11.35pm on August 13.

Police allege the man was disturbed and left the premises, but not for long.

An hour later, the man allegedly returned and successfully gained entry to the hotel through a door at the back of the property.

At the time, a 48-year-old man was cleaning the hotel’s bar at the end of the night.

The 18-year-old then allegedly pulled a 20cm knife on the man.

As the man moved away, the 18-year-old allegedly grabbed one bottle of premium spirits and promptly left the hotel.

When he left, he allegedly used the knife to slash the rear tyre on the passenger side of a car parked on the street.

Police attended the scene immediately, and within two hours the man was arrested and in the St George watch-house, awaiting his appearance before the magistrate the next morning.

The man was apprehended by police at an address on St George Terrace, where police allege checks revealed that the man was under curfew bail conditions.

Police charged the man with one count of armed robbery using personal violence, one count of enter premises with intent to commit indictable offence, one count of attempt to enter premises and commit, two counts of wilful damage, and two breaches of bail conditions. No pleas have been entered.

Police investigator at the St George criminal investigations branch, Senior Constable Darren Rhodes thanked the St George police team for their “swift action in finding and arresting the male, and taking the man into custody within two hours of the (alleged) offending”.

The man appeared in the St George Magistrates Court on August 14.