TERROR AT THE PUB
Patrons left traumatised after armed hold-up at local hotel
WITNESSES have described the terrifying moment robbers were caught beating a man with a crowbar during an armed hold up at a Townsville pub.
The violent robbery unfolded on Saturday night at The Royal Hotel in West End when two armed men – dressed in black from head to toe – stormed the small neighbourhood pub demanding cash.
WITNESSES have detailed the terrifying moment robbers were caught beating a man with a crowbar during an armed hold-up at a Townsville pub.
The violent robbery began to unfold about 11.30 on Saturday night at The Royal Hotel in West End when two armed men — dressed in black from head to toe — stormed the small neighbourhood pub demanding cash.
Just a few houses up the road, Jacinta Hoffman was woken by her two dogs barking as the mayhem unfolded on the corner of Stagpole and Sidney streets.
She said the panicked screaming and sounds of breaking glass made her think it was a car crash prompting her and her partner to call emergency services and run down to help.
“They must have backed up (in their car) and they smashed the doors in,” Ms Hoffman said.
“Trent yelled out and must have spooked them and they took off screaming down the street with the headlights off.
“There was a fella laying on the ground inside and blood everywhere after they bashed him with a crowbar.”
Speaking to the Bulletin from outside the hotel yesterday, Ms Hoffman said she was even more shocked by the ordeal after learning that the offenders had been returning to retrieve their partner in crime, who remained inside.
The entrance doors were completely removed from their casing during the attack.
Townsville Police District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Matt Lyons said a female staff member serving behind the bar was forced to hand over cash when the two men first entered the front bar area.
After the initial shock, a scuffle broke out when a patron challenged the robber in an attempt to disarm him, knocking what appeared to be a crude firearm from him and holding him down, Snr Sgt Lyons said.
“The other offender has left the hotel (and) a short time later that male has returned and assaulted a patron with another weapon before both offenders have left the hotel in a black Holden Commodore,” he said.
“The patron that was assaulted received a laceration to his head and was transported to Townsville University Hospital in a stable condition.”
While Snr Sgt Lyons did not condone members of the public attempting a citizen’s arrest or intervening in a volatile situation, he said it was likely the patron identified the firearm was not legitimate.
“We’re certainly not saying it’s a gel blaster, it was more likely parts of firearms that were made to look like a weapon,” he said.
“That also shows a level of planning by the offender.
“The intervention of the patrons probably prevented further money being stolen but it also put them in a predicament where they were assaulted and we would just encourage people to be cautious.”
A burnt-out car, suspected to be the one used to flee the crime scene, was found by police shortly after 2am in Idalia.
Snr Sgt Lyons said residents were encouraged to hand over any footage of people in the area filmed from 1.30am onwards.