Edens Landing father of three robs and frightens apartment front desk staff

Staff at a Greater Brisbane hotel were left terrified as a guest went into a rage and robbed them after losing his cool over cigarettes.

A 40-year-old Edens Landing man who violently intimidated and robbed a Quest Apartments concierge in Springfield Central, received a 15-month prison sentence.

Beenleigh Magistrates Court heard that Joshua Laszuk, father of three, stayed at the Quest Apartments with one other person on March 22 this year.

He paid a $300 deposit for the room and was caught by staff smoking in the room.

The staff told Laszuk smoking in the room violated their rules and he would not get his deposit back.

Laszuk then went to the front desk and smashed his hands loudly on the desk.

He demanded money from the staff member and said “I’m going to rob you because you’re robbing me”.

The staff member handed over $50 and the defendant snatched it aggressively from him, screamed at him and jumped up onto the desk.

The entire altercation was captured on the venues’ CCTV security footage.

Edens Landing man Joshua Laszuk intimidates and robs a Quest Apartments front desk staff member. Picture: Facebook.

Magistrate Mark Howden said although the defendant’s behaviour did not involve any actual violence, it was still frightening.

“This behaviour was extremely threatening and intimidating,” he said.

“It is worth noting the defendant has a serious criminal history.”

Laszuk pleaded guilty to demanding property with menaces, with intent to steal and received a 15 month prison sentence with an immediate parole release date.

In August last year, the defendant was sentenced in Beenleigh District Court to seven and a half years behind bars for a violent robbery.

The offence involved bashing a victim with a baseball bat and forcing them to wear a dog collar.

Laszuk was among four thieves who held the victim hostage for 24 hours and forced them to withdraw upwards of $18,000 from an ATM.