Man claimed servo ‘ripped him off’ before he stole more than $700 worth of cigarettes, lighters and KitKats

A man who threatened to kill a service station worker he claimed “ripped him off” before stealing more than $700 worth of items has avoided immediate imprisonment. Kahan Michael Tucker was sentenced in Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court last week after previously pleading guilty to burglary, stealing and obstructing public officers. The 37-year-old went to the BP truck stop just after 2am on December 19, wearing only black shorts, and purchased cigarettes and other items with cash. He then continued to walk around the store before coming back to the counter and asking for three kebabs and a chicken alfredo. When he was informed he did not have enough money, Tucker became enraged and claimed the worker had ripped him off and told him he would kill him — but he was not charged with a separate offence for that. Tucker jumped on the front counter and tried to squeeze between the metal security bars. The staff member retreated to the back room, locked the door and called police. After making it through the bars, Tucker stole several packets of cigarettes, a few lighters and a couple of KitKat bars before putting on a staff member’s jacket. When police arrived, they saw Tucker inside the building before he walked out the back door and ran into nearby bushland. He later told police he did it because the person ripped him off. He was also sentenced for obstructing police when they attended a family violence incident in Leonora in September. Defence lawyer Liam Takeda said while it did not excuse his behaviour, Tucker had been suffering a mental breakdown when the burglary took place, and had been homeless and without his schizophrenia medication. When magistrate Donna Webb asked for corroboration of the alleged mental illness, Mr Takeda said he did not have it. He also told the court Tucker had a broken arm during the incident with police and an officer had bent it, which angered him. His suggestion Tucker be granted a community-based order or conditionally suspended imprisonment order was shot down by Ms Webb, who said Tucker had breached previous CSIOs so she could not see “much to be gained” by placing him on another. She sentenced him to seven months jail, but suspended it for six months and urged him not to get into any more trouble.