Canberra serial armed robber jailed for 11 years - ABC Online

Updated October 17, 2013 16:35:32

A serial armed robber has been jailed for 11 years over three robberies in Canberra's south.

The man's name cannot be published because he has an upcoming trial.

But his criminal history features 71 previous offences including five other armed robberies.

Today in the ACT Supreme Court, Acting Justice John Neild said it was clear the man's future would be much like his past, before he sentenced him for robbing the Erindale Viking's Club, a Wanniassa newsagency and the Wanniassa TAB during 2009 and 2010.

All three robberies he spent days carefully planning with his partner in crime before storming each business masked and armed with either a crow bar, knife or gun.

The TAB robbery was the most serious when on Cox Plate Day in 2010 the men held up the busy store with a sawn-off rifle.

They both rode bicycles to the store before ordering the staff to open up two safes behind the counter and empty almost $50,000 into a black duffle bag.

In the Erindale Viking's Club robbery, the pair waited until the staff left and the cleaners began their work early one morning in 2009.

They tied up the cleaners at knife point and then smashed open the poker machines for cash.

In the process of stealing $748 the men caused more than $90,000 in damage.

The Wanniassa newsagency robbery took place early one morning while a lone staff member was busy bringing in the days newspapers.

They tied him up on the floor before stealing magazines, cigarettes and escaping in the employee's car.

The man was not caught until early 2011 when police clued onto his plans to rob the Kambah Woolworths, a crime he is currently serving six years and nine months for.

Acting Justice John Neild said the man had clearly learnt nothing from his previous punishments.

"Frankly I doubt that he's given a moment's thought to what he did to the victims," he said.

He sentenced the man to 11 years and one month in prison. He will not be eligible for parole until 2020.

Topics: courts-and-trials, armed-robbery, act, wanniassa-2903, canberra-2600

First posted October 17, 2013 13:05:55