Burleigh Waters Bank robbery: Gold Coast man ‘on run’ with bank robber accused before their arrest

A Gold Coast man has recounted how he unwittingly spent three days and nights on the run with the couple accused of sticking up a Burleigh bank for $5000.

Shayde Hodgson-Gulson and Darren Michael Baxter have been arrested and charged after an armed hold up of a Burleigh bank. Photo: Facebook

A HOMELESS Gold Coaster has recounted being fed, housed and clothed by a couple he only realised were allegedly on the run for an armed bank robbery when they got arrested.

The man says he had no idea they had just allegedly committed a stick-up of a Suncorp in Burleigh when he met them randomly on Thursday night hours later.

He has told of then spending an extraordinary three days and nights with the pair before their dramatic arrest on Sunday morning, in a story confirmed by police.

Between the robbery and arrest, he stayed with them in flash hotels where they ordered room service and took him clothes shopping.

COPS ARREST PAIR ALLEGEDLY BEHIND BANK ROBBERY

Shayde Hodgson-Gulson and Darren Michael Baxter. Photo: Facebook

The man, who only gave his name as “Sonny”, said his encounter started in Surfers Paradise on Thursday night with the couple buying pizza on Cavill Avenue.

They offered him and fellow homeless as much as they wanted: “They bought everyone half a dozen slices.”

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It was just hours after the afternoon bank hold-up when a man and woman fled on a motorbike having robbed a teller of $5000 in a brazen heist.

After chatting, Sonny said the pair who introduced themselves as “Dazza and Shazza”, invited him to come and stay with them at nearby Novotel.

They holed up for two nights, the Thursday and Friday, mostly staying in and ordering room service including pasta, more pizza and fish and chips, he said.

On Saturday they relocated to Peppers Broadbeach

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A Peppers Broadbeach room where a Gold Coast homeless man says he stayed for a night with the pair later accused of a Burleigh bank robbery.

Sonny said he was in bad shape with “the shakes” and Tourettes flaring so their generosity surprised him.

“I wasn’t too pleasant to be around. I was shaking and cursing. Mental health wouldn’t give me a bed, the hospital wouldn’t give me a bed but these alleged bank robbers did.

“At the time I was thinking I must be being really charismatic, and all my prayers are being answered.”

He said they booked a twin-room apartment at Peppers so he had his own space: “Shaz made up the bed for me and tucked me in. They specifically rented a more expensive room so there was space for me to rest.

PAIR FACE COURT OVER ALLEGED ARMED BANK ROBBERY

The man says the couple relocated from a Novotel to a twin-room Peppers Broadbeach apartment (pictured) so he could have his own room.

“I made good of the chance to rest, heal and sleep,” he said, adding the pair also bought him a toothbrush, nice shirt and new pants.

Sonny said he didn’t see any evidence to suggest they might have robbed a bank.

It all came to an end on Sunday morning when police stormed their Broadbeach hotel foyer - to his surprise - and arrested his new-found saviours.

The pair, charged with one count each of armed robbery, had been checking out and he had just left.

But Sonny said he forgot his phone charger so went back to the Peppers Broadbeach: “They were being tackled by police in the foyer.”

“All I know is those two people brought me back to earth when I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. I knew nothing until the police told me why they were being arrested.

“It’s an amazing thing to happen. They did something that even good people would never think to do.”

He told the Bulletin yesterday he wanted to tell his story to highlight their good deed. He didn’t ask for money for his story and his claim of the arrest at Peppers checks out with a police statement which said the arrest was on Elizabeth Avenue.

A Gold Coast police source confirmed the man was brought in for questioning and later released after the couple - Darren Michael Baxer, 30, and Shayde Hodgson-Gulston, 22 - were arrested.