A man who robbed a shop a knifepoint has finally been caught four years after the crime. He is now sentenced to four years and four months in prison.
As reported by South Yorkshire Police, Stefan Lukac entered a convenience store in Rotherham, threatened an employee with a knife before forcing her to open the till on December 10, 2020. Lukac then attacked the shaken worker and fled the shop with £140.
Before the forensic results for the fingerprints were completed, Lukac left the country. Almost four years later on October 30, 2024, the 25-year-old came to the attention of South Yorkshire Police at Meadowhall shopping centre after an alleged shoplifting offence.
After being detained, Lukac was identified as being linked to the 2020 robbery and he was promptly charged with the offence.
He is now sentenced to four years and four months in prison.
Detective Constable Georgia Evers said, "Nobody should go to work feeling unsafe and Lukac's callous actions and blatant disregard for the consequences of his actions has left a lasting impact on his victim.
"Lukac brazenly returned to the UK likely not expecting to be held accountable for his offending. However this was not the case and Lukac will now spend a considerable time behind bars."
Meanwhile, another prolific thief from Barnsley has been put behind bars after he stole from a local supermarket, before assaulting emergency workers after being detained.
Earlier this month, Dean Watson broke into a store on Wombwell Lane in Barnsley, taking multiple bottles of alcohol, worth over £138, before attempting to flee on foot.
Officers attended and quickly detained Watson, placing him in a marked vehicle. Watson then proceeded to damage the police car, kicking the interior. While officers tried to further restrain Watson, he assaulted both officers, by spitting and kicking them.
Watson, 44, of Faith Street, Barnsley, was later charged with burglary, theft from a shop and two counts of assault of an emergency worker. He appeared before Barnsley Magistrates'' Court on Monday (9 June), where he pled guilty to all offences.
He was sentenced to 32 weeks in prison and ordered to pay a compensation charge.
