Wouldbe bandit held up

By Rebecca Fraser
AN ARMED bandit had nowhere to run on Sunday when a brave service station attendant locked him inside a Berwick petrol station before alerting police.
The incident occurred about 4.25am when a man entered the Shell Service Station on High Street armed with a plastic packaging knife.
Senior Sergeant Gerry Hengel of Narre Warren police said the man then threatened the attendant before he was challenged and the sliding door to the service station was locked.
Sen Sgt Hengel said nearby onlookers had contacted police after witnessing the incident and observing a vehicle waiting near the service station with four people sitting inside.
Narre Warren police attended shortly after and with the assistance of officers from Endeavour Hills were able to catch the five people involved.
Sen Sgt Hengel said the incident had been resolved quickly due to the good work of the public and their keen observance and urgent action.
He said he was also thankful that no one had been injured.
Two people including a Berwick man in his early 20s have been charged with attempted armed robbery.
The Berwick man was remanded and appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
No application for bail was made and he was remanded to appear again on Monday, 24 July.
The other man was released to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court at a later day.
Three other people have also been interviewed in relation to the incident and are due to be charged on summons.
Police say all those involved were in their early 20s and lived Berwick, Narre Warren and Box Hill.