A 37-year-old man has been refused bail after allegedly threatening a young service station worker with a knife, then smashing his way into the same Armidale store more than a week later.
New England Police District officers began investigating about 9.40pm on Tuesday, 3 November. They had received reports that a man allegedly demanded cigarettes and threatened an employee, a 20-year-old man, at a service station on Queen Elizabeth Drive.
Police were told the man returned two more times that day and allegedly threatened the employee with a knife before leaving.
The employee was not injured.
About 3.25am on Wednesday, 11 November, police were called back to the same service station. They had received reports that a man allegedly smashed the front door, threatened the same employee, and stole items from inside the store.
The employee was again not injured. Police set up a crime scene and began an investigation.
About 6.30am, police arrested a 37-year-old man when he returned to the service station.
He was taken to Armidale Police Station and charged with:
- Demand property with menaces with intent to steal
- Stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm
- Use offensive weapon with intent to commit indictable offence
- Aggravated break and enter and commit indictable offence – people there
- Carry out sexual act with another without consent
- Possess housebreaking implements
He was refused bail and appeared before Bail Division Court 5 on Wednesday, 11 November, where he was formally refused bail.
He is due to appear before Armidale Local Court on Wednesday, 20 January 2027.
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