Woman robbed at gunpoint at Panda Smokes & Vapes, Indooroopilly

Police are searching for a man who fled the scene of a horrific robbery at a business in Brisbane’s west overnight, where a gun was pointed at a female staff member.

Police are appealing for information after a woman was robbed at gunpoint at a tobacconist store in Brisbane’s west overnight.

It is alleged a man entered Panda Smokes & Vapes on Lambert St at Indooroopilly about 7.50pm Monday night and produced a firearm before demanding cash from a female employee.

She complied and he fled the scene on a black and white e-scooter.

The employee did not suffer any injuries.

Panda owner Sunny Sharma said they had been robbed at knifepoint once before, but never with a gun.

Panda Smokes on Lambert Rd, Indooroopilly. Picture: Facebook

“The staff member is an international student. She’s very shaken up,’’ he said.

“She was so frightened she didn’t hit the panic button, but that might have been good because we don’t know what would have happened then.

Police have been active trying to combat youth crime around Indooroopilly Train Station.

“He wasn’t an eshay or a teenager, this guy was very well prepared and knew exactly what he was doing.

“He had a helmet on and gloves and after demanding all the money ran off in a very fast e-scooter.’’

Eshays, teens who worked in gangs or alone and who favoured caps, brand name sports gear and distinctive pants and bumbags, have been a persistent problem at nearby Indooroopilly Train Station and on Station Rd outside Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.

Indooroopilly police have been active for several years in trying to combat eshays and criminal behaviour in the area, including frequent patrols.

Mr Sharma said he had noticed that reports of crimes, including robberies with knives, had escalated around the train station in the past year.

He had heard of a railway worker who had their car stolen.

“Tobacconists, especially at night, are at risk because people think we have a lot of cash but that’s not correct,’’ Mr Sharma said.

He said police were on the scene within about two minutes.

The Caucasian man, who looked to be in his 20s, was last seen on Lambert Rd and was about 180cm tall with a slim build.

He was wearing a black and white motorcycle helmet, a black long-sleeve T-shirt, beige shorts and was carrying a white and red plastic bag at the time of the alleged robbery.

He had an Australian accent and the e-scooter had a Jack Daniels sticker. It was not a hire scooter brand.

Police asked for anyone with information about the man or the incident to come forward.