Rhianna Austin, 32, from the Melbourne suburb of Preston, fronted Shepparton Magistrates’ Court for a committal hearing, facing charges of armed robbery, making a threat to kill, assault using a weapon, theft, possessing a controlled weapon, possessing methamphetamine, possessing alprazolam, committing an indictable offence while on bail, contravening a condition of bail and unlicensed driving.
The charges relate to an alleged armed robbery where $225 was stolen from the Liberty Service Station on Benalla Rd, Shepparton, on November 14, 2023.
She is also charged with four counts of theft, dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime, attempting to commit theft, four counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail and two counts of unlicensed driving.
The other charges relate to thefts from 7-Eleven, The Bottle-O Warehouse Shepparton, Liquorland Kialla and Coles Express Kialla that occurred on the days before the alleged armed robbery at Liberty Service Station.
One of the witnesses who gave evidence during the hearing told the court a person pulled out a knife and told him to give them money while he was working at the service station.
Three other witnesses who gave evidence happened to be at the service station at the time, and each spoke about what they saw while they were there.
One of them told the court they saw a silver Mazda pull into the service station and saw someone put a jumper around their head before they got out of the car.
The same witness said he and someone else followed the Mazda towards Victoria Park Lake after leaving Liberty Service Station.
Shepparton Crime Investigation Unit Detective Acting Sergeant Leon Schroeter said he identified Ms Austin from CCTV footage of the incident, as police had “numerous previous dealings” with her, including suspecting her of being involved in the theft of the Mazda she was driving.
The clothing the offender was wearing in the CCTV footage was the same clothing found in the Mazda, and the white Nike shoes worn by the offender in the CCTV footage were the same shoes Ms Austin was wearing when she was arrested, Acting Sergt Schroeter said.
Police believe the offender was wearing a long-sleeve shirt or jumper around their head as a mask, which had make-up on it.
Two knives and a pair of sunglasses were found in the stolen car.
Acting Sgt Schroeter told the court the sunglasses had Ms Austin’s DNA on them.
Magistrate Simon Zebrowski told Ms Austin’s defence counsel it was difficult to ignore the DNA on the sunglasses found in the car, and they were probably stolen from the service station.
Mr Zebrowski decided there was sufficient evidence for a jury to convict Ms Austin in a trial in the County Court, which is expected to last five days.
Ms Austin pleaded guilty to the theft charges and not guilty to the others.
She will next appear in Melbourne County Court for a directions hearing in October.
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