Barclay Christopher McIver: Robina chemist thief stopped by dog squad sentenced

A would-be Robina chemist thief who was nabbed by a police dog has been handed his punishment for the break-in. Read what happened in court here.

A man who broke into and stole medication from a Robina Chemist and was later caught by the police dog squad has felt the bite of the law at his sentencing.

Barclay Christopher McIver, 24, appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to one charge of enter premise and commit indictable offence by break.

McIver was first spotted by the Robina Parkway Chempro Chemist’s owner when he received a notification from his phone that the alarms at the store had been activated around 2am on December 11, 2024.

Police spotted McIver leaving the Robina Parkway Chempro Chemist. Picture: Queensland Police Service

The owner checked the chemist’s cameras remotely and saw a male, later identified to be McIver, removing medication from shelves.

He called triple zero immediately with detectives and the dog squad – who happened to be nearby – arriving at the Robina chemist.

As police arrived, they observed the front glass door of the store appeared to have been smashed by a brick.

The court heard McIver was seen exiting through the smashed glass door carrying a large green bag.

A dog squad officer told McIver to stop but when he continued to run from the scene, a police dog was released, chasing him down until he was apprehended a short distance away.

A police dog chased McIver down until he was apprehended a short distance away from the Robina Chemist. Picture: Queensland Police Service

When he was arrested McIver was wearing a full face black balaclava and gloves, while the plastic bag he was carrying contained a large quantity of pharmaceutical medication.

He was taken to Southport Watchhouse and granted bail later that day.

During his bail application it was reported McIver sustained minor injuries from the police dog during the arrest, with the young offender at the time showing media outside the courthouse what he said were dog bites to his back and buttocks from the police dog.

McIver showing what he said were s dog bite marks outside Southport Watchhouse.

The court heard McIver was sentenced in the Richmond Magistrates Court in August 2024 over various offences including two charges of serious assault police.

He was just over three months into his parole order when he broke into the chemist.

At his sentencing on Wednesday, McIver’s defence solicitor Emily O’Hagan from Wallace O’Hagan Lawyers told the court a sentence that allowed her client’s rehabilitation in the community was the most appropriate one.

She told the court McIver had no other breaches to his parole, continued to follow up with Lives Lived Well even after his parole order expired and has engaged with his GP.

Ms O’Hagan said his future goals are to continue to address his substance use, re-enter the workforce and obtain his driver’s licence back.

The court heard McIver had no other breaches to his parole. Picture: Facebook

The court heard a reference from McIver’s sister and his brother-in-law spoke of his troubling upbringing and exposure to domestic violence at a young age.

The reference shared McIver was diagnosed with autism and turned to drug use after he struggled to deal with the loss of his father in 2022.

Magistrate Louise Pink said she had taken into account the reference but said she didn’t have any material supporting that McIver had autism.

She said McIver was lucky to have family support but he needed to make some long-lasting changes to his life.

“The community is sick and tired of these kinds of offences,” she told him.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment wholly suspended and must not commit another imprisonable offence for 18 months.

He was ordered to pay $500 compensation to repair the smashed glass door.

A conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Barclay Christopher McIver: Robina chemist thief stopped by dog squad sentenced