Armed robbers terrorise night workers

Isabelle Oderberg, Erin Michael
Herald Sun
May 16, 2012

SOME of Victoria’s lowest-income earners are being repeatedly terrorised by armed robbers because the convenience stores that employ them do not hire overnight security.

Some businesses are hit more than once, traumatising workers who fear for their safety and are reluctant to return to their jobs.

Workers at several convenience stores in northern and western suburbs told the Herald Sun they feared that if employers didn’t start private security for graveyard shifts the problem could result in killings.

Victoria Police yesterday appealed for public help to solve six armed robberies between April 29 and May 2, at Rockbank, Niddrie, Parkville, Pascoe Vale, Brunswick West and Tullamarine.

Detective Sen-Constable Kellie Mervin, from Brimbank Embona Armed Robbery Taskforce, said she believed some stores had been robbed several times, saying a service station in Melrose Drive, Tullamarine had been hit “quite a few times”.

One staff member was so traumatised she was too frightened to return to work.

“If it were my store I would (hire private security) to protect my staff members,” Sen-Constable Mervin said.

Police have warned that the offenders are picking “soft targets” such as service stations and convenience stores and will almost certainly strike again.

The 7-Eleven organisation, which is believed to have more than 200 convenience stores in Victoria, declined to comment.