THE Stuarts Point Workers Recreation and Bowling Club was the scene of an armed robbery on Monday night.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The thieves, armed with a shotgun, machete and iron bars, failed to gain entry to the club, but robbed two staff members, and stole a car to make their getaway.
The staff members were repeatedly threatened with the shotgun, which was at times only centimetres from their heads.
At one point the gang threatened to take the female employee hostage.
The incident was captured on the club’s CCTV security system, footage from which has been provided to police.
About 10.40pm four men with their faces obscured confronted the two employees as they walked to their cars after locking up for the night.
The men came running out of the darkness from different directions, surprising the pair before they had time to react.
One of the men armed pointed at shotgun at the heads of both victims and demanded the keys to the club.
But the employees told the gang they did not have a set of keys to re-enter the premises.
The robbers have then demanded the purse and car keys from the female staff member.
The four offenders stole the woman’s car, a 1999 silver Toyota Camry Station wagon, and escaped heading west on Stuarts Point Road toward the Pacific Hwy.
Police arrived a short time later and a Crime Scene was established.
The car was found abandoned on Tuesday morning in Wallace St, Macksville.
Stuarts Point Workers Recreation and Bowling Club manager Gary Lewis said it had been a traumatic experience for the pair.
“They are physically all right and they have had some counselling which has been provided by Clubs NSW and they are on indefinite leave,” Mr Lewis said.
“It was a frightening thing to go through.
"At one point one of the gang members threatened to take the young female staff member hostage, but he was apparently quickly over-ruled by another of the gang.
“It is early days in the investigation but I am very confident the police will be able to find out who these people are and make an arrest.”
Any person with any information in relation to the incident can contact Kempsey Police on 6561 6199 or Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
Police remind all licensees and club managers to be vigilant when it comes to safe cash handling and locking up procedures.
