Tomahawk bandit Abdul Agbere jailed for terrifying $20,000 Sunshine Plaza armed robbery
A serial menace was on bail and barely out of prison two months when he knocked over a money exchange while armed with a tomahawk. However, the violent thug could be back on the streets in less than a year despite his $20,000 haul yet to be recovered.
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A tomahawk-wielding bandit who stole more than $20,000 during a terrifying armed robbery at Sunshine Plaza has been jailed.
Abdul Agbere, 22, was sentenced in the County Court last month to a minimum 30-months’ jail after pleading guilty to armed robbery.
Agbere, of North Melbourne, stormed Dahabshill Money Transfer just after 6pm on November 26, 2018.
The masked bandit – disguised in a balaclava and a hi-vis jacket – brandished a tomahawk while attempting to climb over the store’s glass security screen.
Agbere smashed the screen with his tomahawk then attacked the security door.
The business owner screamed for help then bolted from the store.
Another employee ran away after Agbere smashed through the door and helped himself to the day’s takings.
The owner, his employee and a security guard tried to block Agbere’s escape but the thug smashed through the outer glass doors.
Agbere fled with an estimated loot of more than $20,000 while leaving behind a damage bill of almost $4000.
He dumped his weapon and disguises and fled in a waiting getaway car.
Police seized the tomahawk, hi-vis jacket and the balaclava near the crime scene and located a shoe impression on the store counter.
Agbere was linked to the items through his DNA but the elusive crook had fled to South Australia.
Agbere was nabbed exactly a month later wearing the Nike runners he wore during the robbery.
The court heard Agbere was out of prison barely two months and on bail for an aggravated assault when he committed the heist.
The serial menace also robbed a woman at Sunshine railway station on November 15, the court heard.
The owner, in his victim impact statement, said the armed robbery had “instilled ongoing fear and hypervigilance”.
The owner also said he is now “naturally fearful and anxious” and similar crimes reported on the news “trigger flashbacks”.
Judge Frank Gucciardo said armed robbery was a “particularly pernicious crime”.
“The victims in this case were vulnerable business people going about their work at the end of the working day in a small shop front,” Judge Gucciardo said.
“The robbery had been premeditated and planned, you wore a balaclava to protect your identity and avoid detection and you did so with a dangerous weapon which you used to instil fear and facilitate the robbery.
“You stole a significant amount of money and arranged for a getaway vehicle and a lookout driver to assist you.
“This was not a spontaneous event, rather, a planned criminal enterprise of significant moral culpability.”
Agbere — who had spent 552 days in custody — was jailed for a maximum five years and two months.
He will be eligible for parole in less than 12 months.
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