May 06, 2009 10:00am
Cops are hunting a cross-dressing bandit who robbed a Merriwa (AUS) service station at gunpoint.
A man wearing a blue dress and a pink wig entered the BP service station in Hester Ave at 9.30pm and threatened staff and customers with two silver handguns while making demands for cash.
The man then ordered several customers, aged between 14 and 40, onto the ground.
The service station attendant handed over a small amount of money, but before the robber left the store he threatened one of the customers, pushing the gun into the back of his head and threatening to fire.
Detectives described the armed hold-up as one of the most violent and unusual ever staged.
He has used one (firearm) to continually threaten the attendant, while he was getting cash from the till and he has used the other firearm basically as security for other customers in the store,'' said Detective First Class Constable Jason Vanderwiel, from the regional investigations unit.
He has threatened them that if they were to intervene that he would discharge the firearm.
Upon leaving the store, the offender has walked over to the customers who were lying on the ground, has stood over them, has pressed the revolver into the back of their head and made threats that he was going to discharge the firearm.''
Detective Vanderwiel said the attack had left the attendant and customers terrified and in deep shock.
Although the disguise in some ways in unusual to say the least, the nature of the violence and the threats that he's made including discharging the firearm and pointing it directly into the back of the head of some of the customers is absolutely menacing, he said.
Detective Vanderwiel said the offender had gone to great lengths to disguise his appearance.
``Whether or not it is a costume or perhaps it's his regular attire, I don't know,'' he said.
The wanted man is described as Caucasian, about 175cm tall and aged between 40 and 50.
He had dark facial hair and was wearing jeans and a white shirt with a blue or grey dress over the top as well as a pink wig.
