A service station worker has been left deeply traumatised after being threatened by armed intruders during an early morning smash-and-grab robbery.
The Underwood Caltex in Logan, Queensland, was hit twice within just a few hours. Exclusive footage obtained by 9News shows the first break-in at around 1:30 a.m. when the thieves stormed the station and made off with thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes.
Hours later, the Caltex was struck again. This time, a female worker had just started her shift when the thieves forced their way in, wielding a crowbar. Security footage captured the terrifying moment as she tried to escape, screaming for the intruders to leave her alone.
The armed criminals cornered the employee in the back room, demanding she open the safe. They took more cigarettes and cash and then fled in the woman’s stolen car. By the time police and paramedics arrived, the victim was so shaken she could barely stand.
Ankush Dhir, the business owner, expressed his concern for his employee, stating that she was “really traumatised” by the ordeal. “It’s going to take her a couple of weeks to recover,” he said. “It’s totally horrible and insane what we’ve seen.”
The financial toll on Dhir’s business is significant, with around $30,000 in cash and $60,000 in tobacco products stolen. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time his station has been targeted—Dhir revealed that this is the fourth break-in his business has suffered in less than a year.
Queensland Police are continuing their investigation into the robberies, but it remains unclear whether the two incidents are connected.
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