Brave teens praised for disarming man at Mount Druitt pizza shop
Two teenage boys are being congratulated for their “stupidity and bravery” after disarming a man who allegedly held up a pizza shop with a gun in Sydney’s west on Friday night.
Police & Courts
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A man who allegedly robbed his former workplace with a gun on Friday night was struggling to cope on the anniversary of his parents’ double murder, a court heard.
Meanwhile, the two teenage boys who disarmed the masked man were congratulated for their “stupidity and bravery” at West Sydney Pizza and Pasta.
John Green’s bail application was refused in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday after he was charged with attempted robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon.
The court heard the 47-year-old allegedly plotted to rob Mount Druitt’s West Sydney Pizza and Pasta so he could visit family in Victoria.
According to police facts tendered to the court he was wearing a blue surgical face mask and armed with a black-painted toy gun when he entered the shop about 10pm.
The father-of-eight’s lawyer, Oussama Elfawal, told the court Green was struggling to cope on the anniversary of his parents’ murder.
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Magistrate Annette Sinclair said it was a “serious” crime.
“It’s clearly aggravated. There are two young victims. One is 13,” she said.
West Sydney Pizza and Pasta manager Anna Chand, Cameron Candy, 16, and a 13-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were heroes.
“I turned around and he was holding a gun with two hands just pointing it directly at me,” the mother of two said.
“I froze and put my hands up. I was saying: ‘I’ll go get the money’.”
Ms Chand said the boys jumped on the man, wrestling him to the floor until police arrived.
“I’m astounded by these two boys. They were just so brave,” she said.
Cameron said: “I just acted on my instincts. I’m not a hero.”
Mount Druitt Acting Inspector Ross said the boys were brave but warned others about the risks of tackling an armed person.
“It was very dangerous and I wouldn’t encourage people to take matters into their own hands,” Act Insp Ross said.
“The public are advised to always be cautious in these instances and to ensure their own safety at all times.”