A group of Cringila community centre volunteers have been left shaken after two masked intruders robbed them of their hard-earned cash during a brazen and opportunistic Monday-morning attack.
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Volunteers at the not-for-profit George Cross Falcons Community Centre have told how they first thought the intrusion was "practical joke", before quickly realising the disguised duo's presence was something more sinister.
About eight people were inside the community centre - preparing for a weekly seniors' lunch event - when two masked men entered via a door off Lake Avenue about 8.30am.
"We were all doing our Monday morning chores ... we were buttering bread, making coffees and then two men walked in," office worker and volunteer Elizabeth Walker said.
"We thought it was a joke. We really thought it was a practical joke because they came in, they were very composed and they were very softly spoken and that's why we didn't register what they were really here for."
The 62-year-old said one of the intruders, who she described as "the boss", told volunteers not to put their hands near their pockets or try and reach for a mobile phone, "otherwise there'd be trouble".
The younger of the two men was "very nervous" and ordered everyone into the kitchen, Mrs Walker said.
"The boss, as I call him, went straight to our president and asked him to show him where the safe was and to empty the safe," she said.
"They opened the safe, he proceeded to empty the safe and a couple of us still thought it was a joke and said 'you've got to be joking', but the boss he was very serious - that's when we knew it wasn't a joke.
"I panicked and my heart was just going a hundred miles an hour. We were all in shock."
Mrs Walker, who collapsed after being overcome by anxiety, said the ordeal was "all over in about five minutes, if that".
The masked duo fled, taking off in a silver-coloured sedan. Another volunteer chased after them in an attempt to get a picture of the getaway car.
No one was injured. However two volunteers were treated for shock. The amount of cash stolen was unknown.
Mrs Walker said leaving the entrance, through which the duo entered, open was "normal procedure on a Monday" so people could come inside and take a seat.
"I've been doing this for six years, I've never thought about getting robbed and it's never entered anyone's mind," she said.
"It was just something that was completely random.
"We are non-for-profit organisation; we do this for our Illawarra community, for people to have somewhere to go on a Monday."
Mrs Walker said the "horrible act" would take some time to get over.
"It is a shocking thing because we don't deserve to have this happen to us. We are not people who make millions of dollars, we just make the money to provide the food for the people who come in on a Monday," she said.
"It'll take us a while to get over it because even our volunteers are not young, some of them are in their 80s, and it's not something you get over quickly."
A crime scene was set up at the centre and detectives from Lake Illawarra police are investigating the robbery.
Anyone with information should contact Lake Illawarra police station on 4232 5599 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Andrew Pearson
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
