A ‘pinky promise’ might reign supreme in backyard cubby houses and primary school playgrounds, but seldom would you expect to find it used in the criminal underworld.
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Then along came Dapto man Kyle Roberts.
The 19-year-old petty criminal re-wrote the rules of etiquette in the robber-versus-victim relationship on the afternoon of June 28 last year when – after breaking into a Dapto home, threatening the man inside and swiping his stash of cannabis – he used the humble gesture to secure the man’s silence with police.
Documents tendered to Wollongong Local Court reveal Roberts rode his motorbike up to the man’s house around 1.30pm, drove a few circles on his front lawn then took off. A neighbour recorded the incident.
Fifteen minutes later, Roberts returned to the house, this time coming to the front door and yelling at the occupant to let him inside.
The victim refused, prompting Roberts to kick the door open.
Once inside, Roberts demanded the victim give him money. When the victim said he had none, Roberts grabbed a nearby backpack, which was found to contain 537 grams of cannabis leaf.
Roberts pulled out a 20cm knife and held it towards the victim, telling him “if you call the cops about this I will be back”.
Court documents said Roberts “then had [the victim] pinky promise not to contact the police”.
However the victim apparently broke the vow of silence, resulting in police arresting Roberts at his house a few hours later.
He was subsequently charged with break and enter and being armed with intent, to which he pleaded guilty in court this week.
He remains on bail and will face sentencing in May.
