Cafe owner recalls terrifying robbery
A SHOCKED Cassowary Coast business owner has described the terrifying moment he had a gun to his chest during an armed robbery.
Police allege the Flying Fish Point Cafe near Innisfail was targeted by three men and a woman on Monday in an armed robbery about 2.10pm.
Owner Davinder Kumar was called to the front counter by his employee Vishali Rani to serve a man, who Mr Kumar said had most of his face covered and began approaching him when the cafe owner addressed him.
Mr Kumar said he had a gun pointed at his chest, which police said was a replica.
“He slowly asked me for money, but I was in shock. I took about 10 seconds to react.”
After handing over about $400 to $500 cash, Mr Kumar said he ran back to get his phone and called police, and in that time customers dining at the cafe confirmed the man had “run off towards town”.
Police will allege that man was 31-year-old Joshua Surha after he delivered himself to police on Tuesday.
Mr Surha was immediately arrested, opposed bail and charged with one count each of armed robbery and burglary. He appeared at the Innisfail Magistrates Court on Wednesday and had his matter adjourned to November 15.
While Mr Surha was allegedly alone in the cafe, police allege he was accompanied by a 19-year-old Innisfail man who was charged with one count each of armed robbery, burglary, driving an uninsured and unregistered vehicle and learning to drive without a supervisor.
He is scheduled to reappear at Innisfail Magistrates Court on November 29.
And police allege there was a 20-year-old Innisfail man, charged with one count each of burglary and armed robbery, scheduled to reappear at Innisfail Magistrates Court on November 29 and a 19-year-old woman facing the same charges, scheduled to appear at Innisfail Magistrates Court on October 25.
Mr Kumar said he’d been left shaken by the ordeal, and was grateful his wife and young child were not at the cafe at the time.
“I keep thinking about it over and over and everything that could have gone wrong. Especially if my kid walked out to the front.
“At the time I didn’t know it was a fake (gun), it looked metal and it looked real. Definitely I was fearing for my life.
“We’re seeing more stolen cars and break-ins now. I think because we’re out of town people think it’s an easy target. They think it will take police time to respond.”