Teenager, 16, charged with arming himself with gel-blaster handgun and holding up Redcliffe businesses

A 16-year-old boy accused of arming himself with a gel blaster — styled as a handgun — to carry out a string of armed robberies has been granted bail on strict conditions. The boy allegedly used the weapon to hold up the Night Owl service station on Great Eastern Highway in Redcliffe at about 8.45pm on Monday, April 24 and left the scene with a sum of cash. Then, the boy allegedly tried to repeat the act across a stretch of the Great Eastern Highway in the same suburb on Wednesday, April 26, fleeing a liquor store before demanding any money. The teenager also faced charges of two more attempted armed robberies on the same night at a Hungry Jack’s and a BP service station on Great Eastern Highway in Redcliffe. However, it is believed he fled before entering the stores. Days later, police charged the teen and alleged the weapon he used was a gel blaster. The boy appeared in Perth Children’s Court charged with one count of armed robbery, three counts of attempted armed robbery, one count of possession of a prohibited weapon, and one count of possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property. He said he understood the charges and was granted bail under the strict conditions of only attending school and catching public transport to school. As well as staying home at all times with his father or aunty, who he lives with. He is next due in Perth Children’s Court on May 16.