A MAN who held up a service station at Merewether and placed a "metal implement" to the neck of a female employee was arrested after his fingerprints were found on a chip packet.
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Luke Hoskin-Jones, now 33, of Wallsend, appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from Cessnock Correctional Centre where he pleaded guilty to armed robbery.
Hoskin-Jones will next appear in Newcastle District Court next month to get a sentence date.
It was about 4.30pm on January 16 this year when Hoskin-Jones walked into the Shell service station at Merewether and picked up a packet of chips.
He put the chips on the counter before walking to the back of the store where a female employee was bending down.
Hoskin-Jones put a "metal implement" to the woman's neck and guided her to her feet before forcing her towards the counter.
With his arm around the woman's neck, Hoskin-Jones barked at the other employee to "empty the smokes and register", according to an agreed statement of facts.
As the other employee was grabbing cash out of the till, Hoskin-Jones demanded tobacco and rolling papers.
He was handed $225 in cash and about $560 worth of tobacco and put the items in a bag before fleeing out onto Glebe Road.
The robbery was captured on CCTV and lasted for about a minute.
Hoskin-Jones then ran towards Hamilton South and was spotted by people jumping fences around Darling Street before he jumped the fence into the Newcastle racecourse.
He got away, but he dropped his hat and CCTV at the racecourse and service station told police they were looking for the same man.
Hoskin-Jones was arrested at home at Wallsend four days later after police matched fingerprints found on the chip packet to the 33-year-old.
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Empty the smokes and register.
- Luke Hoskin-Jones barked at a service station attendant, while holding a "metal implement" to the neck of another employee.