A HOMELESS heroin and ice addict in need of quick cash apologised to the victims of a supermarket armed robbery as he held them up.
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Jason Brett Kruse was jailed for a minimum 16 months on Monday following the incident at the Wagga Road Aldi in February.
After lifting up his jumper to show off what he said was a firearm, the 44-year-old demanded cash, but admitted he felt bad about what he was doing.
“I’ve got a gun,” he said to a man behind the register.
“I just want money.
“I’m homeless.
“I’m really sorry.”
The incident occurred on February 25.
He had attended about 7.30pm and asked when the store was due to shut, and returned at 7.59pm, with only a minute of trading left.
He appeared to have stalled inside the store, first asking a worker where the long life milk was located.
He was sent to aisle one, returned a minute later, asked where the baby formula was located and went back to the same aisle.
The only other customer made their purchase as Kruse lined up behind them.
The victim asked how he went, and Kruse did not reply.
He handed over two 50 cent coins when the time came to pay and reached in and removed a wad of $10 notes when the victim opened the register.
He went to the exit but quickly returned, placing the cash back on the counter.
He showed off the “weapon” – which he later told police was just a big stick – and left with $2400 in cash on a blue and white bike.
Police attended and could clearly identify Kruse from security camera footage.
He remained on the run, having last been seen on Wagga Road, for three days.
“The offender blamed a chronic drug addiction to heroin and ice, as well as homelessness,” Albury District Court heard.
He will serve a maximum two years and eight months.
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