A WOMAN has been refused bail charged with two frightening armed hold-ups after she allegedly held a knife to the throat of a shopkeeper.
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Siobhan Boney was arrested just hours after she allegedly stormed Annie's Fish and Chips Shop in Glen Innes and pulled the kitchen knife on the woman behind the counter.
Witnesses told police the accused was wearing a distinctive leopard print outfit when she walked into the Ferguson St store just before 6pm Thursday.
"Police will allege the accused grabbed the 41-year-old female attendant and held the knife towards the throat and demanded cash," New England Detective Inspector Ann Joy said.
"A small amount of cash was taken and the woman fled the store."
The robbery was the second armed hold-up since Sunday when Charlies Chickens in Wentworth St was robbed, sparking an immediate response from police.
"Glen Innes is an area that doesn't usually experience that type of crime and it was unusual to have one, but let alone two in such a short period of time," Detective Inspector Joy said.
"The immediate response of police to the incident [on Thursday night] led to the woman's arrest and the seizure of several items."
Boney was stopped travelling in a car in Meade St just before 8pm and arrested before officers raided a Manns Ln home.
"We seized a knife and some other clothing items that will now undergo forensic examination," Detective Inspector Joy said, confirming no staff were injured but were traumatised by their ordeals.
"Obviously this investigation was a priority particularly the armed robbery on Thursday, where the knife was produced and police allege it was held at the throat of the victim.
"There is always a potential for someone to come to some harm in those sorts of incidents."
Police allege Boney also used a knife to rob a 41-year-old shop-owner and an 11-year-old girl inside Charlies Chickens on June 12.
She was charged with two counts of armed robbery and eight counts of shoplifting.
Boney, who was also wanted on a revocation of parole warrant, was refused bail by police on Thursday night.
The 27-year-old local chose to remain in the police cells when her case was called in Glen Innes Local Court on Friday.
She pleaded guilty to the eight shoplifting charges but did not enter a plea to the robbery offences.
Boney made no application for bail and it was formally refused by Magistrate Michael Holmes who adjourned the case to later this month.
Annie's shop owner Brian Fordham said he was proud of the way the staff handled the stressful situation.
"Because of the recent robbery of Charlies we made sure our staff members were on alert and up to date with hold-up procedures," he said.
"They were so calm and they did everything correctly during the hold up, of course I am concerned for them and their well-being, but I am very proud of how they handled the situation both during and after."