Pokies Staff Terrorised

Vic - A WOMAN has told how she feared for her life as two gunmen stormed a pokies pub this week to snatch a large amount of cash.

Armed with a sawn-off rifle and a pistol, the two used a rock to smash their way into the Boundary Hotel, on the corner of East Boundary and Centre roads, East Bentleigh.

Staff member Jackie said she saw her life flash before her eyes as one screamed at her to "Get down, get down" and thrust a gun in her face. Jackie, 29, was one of three who were counting, cleaning and closing up about 5.30am Monday.

The venue had been closed for about 90 minutes before the bandits hit. Security staff had left. As Jackie and a male staff member were forced to lie face down in the gaming room, a female colleague counting cash in a room heard the racket and walked out to investigate.

The two men marched her back into the cash room, where she was given a bag and told to fill it. They then left, running through a car park to Caleb St and to a car, possibly driven by another person. "I did fear for my life," Jackie said. "I thought, 'Do what they say and don't make any fuss'. "I took a couple of deep breaths and waited until the cops came."

Sgt Graham Guy, of the armed crime taskforce, said it was possible the men had staked out the hotel for some time. "They've come at the appropriate time when they knew they probably had the least resistance," Sgt Guy said. "Obviously the staff have been terrified by it." Police searched nearby bins after a tip-off evidence may have been inside. One of the men was wearing navy-blue work overalls, a black balaclava and white runners. The other wore a green balaclava, a hooded black coat, dark tracksuit pants with white stripes and white runners. Crime Stoppers can be called on 1800 333 000.

Source: Herald Sun


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