Two men have been jailed for an armed robbery in Albion earlier this year that left their male victim fearing for his life.
The County Court last month heard Mergin Kelmendi, 39, and Billy Trajanovski, 37, were armed with a baseball bat and a sawn-off shot gun respectively when they went to a property in Albion on March 22 this year.
Entering through a rear door, Kelmendi and another unknown offender stole two laptops while Trajanovski kept watch out the front.
However, a man came out the front door of the house during the theft.
Trajanovski confronted him and demanded his mobile phone, before forcing him back inside.
The victim said in an impact statement presented to the court that he was “traumatised and distressed” by the theft, and thought he was going to die.
“Although it [the robbery] was of short duration, it terrified the victim,” Justice Geoffrey Chettle said.
“He thought he was going to be murdered, and he feels unsafe in his own home and has become hyper-vigilant.
“The possession of sawn-off shotguns … is also, in my view, an extremely serious offence.
“In addition, Trajanovski, your weapon was loaded, ready to fire and you had spare ammunition.”
The entire burglary was captured on CCTV cameras.
Kelmendi was arrested at the Kealba Hotel on March 31 with an unloaded sawn-off shotgun “tucked down his pants”.
His accomplice, Trajanovski, was arrested on April 21 carrying methyl amphetamine, cannabis, two vials of GHB, a sawn-off shotgun and imitation pistol, and driving a stolen Holden station wagon.
Kelmendi and Trajanovski pleaded guilty to several theft, aggravated burglary, firearm and drugs charges.
Trajanovski was sentenced to seven years and six months jail. Kelmendi was sentenced to six years and three months jail.
