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Is there anything that can’t be used as a weapon?

Stories like this one [1] make me about as sure as I can be that I don’t ever want to work in a petrol station or convenience store, especially overnight.

Police are searching for a man who robbed a Brisbane service station armed with a fluorescent light bulb.

The offender, who’s been described as chubby, walked into the Shell service station at Breakfast Creek in Brisbane’s north about 4.45am (AEST) today [Monday] and demanded money, police said.

He used the fluorescent light tube to threaten a female worker, before fleeing the scene on foot with a sum of cash.

He is described by police as caucasian, about 180cm tall with a chubby build and blue eyes.

He was wearing a singlet with white stripes down the sides, shorts, white sports shoes and a dark balaclava at the time of the robbery.

I would imagine that getting whacked over the head with a fluorescent lightbulb would be quite painful and I can see why it would be an effective “scary weapon” for use in an armed robbery…but it really leads to the question of what can’t be used for that purpose?

If I was working in a petrol station overnight, I think I’d have a nervous breakdown within a week as I would end up looking at everyone who entered the store with some suspicion…not just because the bag that they’re carrying might be filled with lead and could be used to injure me, but because they might be concealing almost anything potentially painful under their clothing.

Of course, they don’t even have to conceal a weapon, let alone have one [2]:

Police are appealing for public assistance in relation to an armed robbery at Campsie overnight.

About 7pm the victim, a 26-year-old Campsie man was walking along South Parade talking on his mobile phone when he was approached from behind by two youths.

One of the youths punched the victim to the head area and he dropped his phone and a sum of cash which one of the youths picked up.

Perhaps I’m just naturally paranoid…a number of people have told me so over the years. All I can say is that with lunatics roaming the streets wielding fluorescent lightbulbs and sums of money from petrol stations, and more lunatics punching people in the head, why wouldn’t you be paranoid?

Samuel