By Jessica Anstice
A man who helped mastermind and execute a planned armed robbery in Pakenham has been jailed for 18 months.
Shane Allen, a 33-year-old man from Longwarry, played the main role in an overnight pre-planned ambush – alongside two co-accused offenders, a then-20-year-old Pakenham woman and 19-year-old Hampton Park woman.
During the evening of 24 October 2016, the three offenders plotted a criminal saga where they would steal cash and a mobile phone from one of the co-offenders’ ex-partner.
With knowledge that the victim would be paid around $900 to $1000 on a Monday, the group decided they would go ahead with their plan-of-attack that night by luring the victim to a co-offender’s house in Pakenham.
Between 8.30pm and 12am one offender and the victim exchanged text messages, with the offender’s intent to lure the victim to her house in Pakenham.
After a little suspicion, the victim accepted an invite to “watch movies” at the co-offender’s house about 2.15am.
While they were watching a movie, Allen sent a text to his co-offender saying: “what do you wanna do? I can come now if you want?”
Just after 4.26am, Allan knocked on the door and proceeded to hold the victim up at knife point.
“So I hear you’ve been saying sh*t about me and you’re going to pay for what you’ve been saying,” he said, aggressively standing over his victim.
As he pressed the knife against the victim’s neck, he went on to ask if the victim would like ‘a smiley’ in which the victim understood the offender was implying two slits to the corners of his mouth.
As a result of the threat, the victim handed his mobile phone to Allen and told him he only had $10 cash on him before Allan requested a trip to the ATM.
At 5.18am, the two offenders forced the victim to drive to the ATM and withdraw $260.
Allan retained $130, giving the victim the other half before saying: “I’m not going to take all your money, buddy”.
During the drive back, Allen and his partner-in-crime discussed whether they would steal the victim’s car. After uninstalling the vehicle’s spark plug, ‘victim empathy’ overcame Allen and he decided not to.
In the early hours of the morning, the victim was granted permission to leave the premises.
“There is no doubt this was an extremely terrifying experience for the victim and that he has suffered significantly as a result,” Judge Douglas Trapnell said.
“In my opinion this is a serious example of the offence of armed robbery.”
Allan will spend 18 months behind bars before undergoing a three year community corrections order.
