By Brendan Rees
A mobile canteen worker has described the terrifying moment two teenagers who were brandishing a knife and meat cleaver demanded cash and cigarettes.
Anne Ruys was preparing her food truck when the hooded bandits approached her on McKillop Way in Clyde North about 1.30pm on Thursday 20 November.
Ms Ruys was also with her colleague whose canteen truck was parked behind her outside St Peter’s College.
“A car of about four or five men pulled up behind the van,” she said.
“Three of them approached her demanding cash and cigarettes and the other two came to me.
“I heard all this commotion … I looked up and saw the guy taking all of her things.
“They had knives so I was like ‘don’t hurt me and I’ll give you whatever you want – just don’t hurt me’,” Ms Ruys said, explaining the youths were wielding a meat cleaver and knife about 15cm long.
Ms Ruys said she immediately opened her cash till as they couldn’t figure out how to open it.
All up, the males took off with about $2,000 in cash and cigarettes.
“We just complied and I said ‘as long as you don’t hurt me I’ll just do whatever.’
“Once they got the stuff they jumped in a car and took off,” she explained.
Ms Ruys said the bandits were wearing masks and hoodies.
“I’m really not sure; to me it looked like a surgical sort of mask. They were teenagers I would say.
Ms Ruys, who has worked for the mobile canteen company for two years, said the incident hadn’t quite sunk in: “I was just confused. I didn’t know what to do.
“This is the first time we’ve ever had anything like this,” she said.
Cranbourne police is investigating and say the four males – all perceived to be of African appearance – fled the scene in a small white car.
Anyone with information is urged to Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
