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A BENDIGO man has been denied bail following the alleged attempted armed robbery of the United petrol station on Marong Road on Saturday night.
Robert May, 36, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Monday facing 16 charges for alleged offences spanning from 8am on New Year’s Day until 9pm on January 2.
Co-accused Tyson Gray, 24, allegedly carried out the attempted armed robbery, threatening a staff member with a knife.
He did not apply for bail, facing two charges.
The attempted hold-up of the petrol station was at the end of 37 hours of alleged offending for May, which police say included two petrol drive-offs, driving at a police car, the theft of a television and six breaches of an intervention order.
The court heard May borrowed a car from a Swan Hill house at 5am on New Year’s Day, before he was seen allegedly stealing a $200 television from the Golden Hills Motor Inn in Bendigo at 8am.
At 5pm, he allegedly drove off with an $50 worth of stolen petrol from the Long Gully BP.
Police attempted to pull May over at 10.30pm, but it is alleged he sped away.
At 1.20pm on January 2, May allegedly stole $54 worth of petrol from the United petrol station on Marong Road.
Police again attempted to intercept May in Long Gully at 2.45pm, but this time he allegedly drove at the officers, swerving at the last moment.
May travelled with Gray to the United petrol station for a second time at 9pm and attempted to fill the car with petrol.
The attendant recognised the two men from earlier and shut off the pump, telling them over the PA system to pre-pay for their petrol, to which the men replied “give us money from the till to pay for it”.
May allegedly handed Gray a knife, who police say went inside the store and threatened the attendant.
The attendant went into a safety room and told the men police were on the way. The men then drove away.
They were arrested at 10.55pm in Long Gully.
Detective Senior Constable Erin Ross said May displayed “a blase attitude towards police” and posed a risk to public safety.
She said drugs and alcohol could have played a part in the offending.
“He appeared to be affected by a substance, there were boxes of cask wine in the car,” Detective Senior Constable Ross said.
May, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, represented himself in court and denied his involvement in the alleged attempted armed robbery.
“I was never there,” he told the court.
He was denied bail and will appear in court on March 30.
