Man jailed for knifepoint robbery after forensic evidence links him to 2020 Rotherham crime
A man has been jailed for a knifepoint robbery in Rotherham after forensic evidence linked him to the crime, which took place in December 2020.
On December 10, 2020, Stefan Lukac entered a convenience store in Rotherham, threatened an employee with a knife before forcing her to open the till, a court heard.
Lukac then assaulted the worker and left the shop with £140 in cash.
Forensic examination of the scene was carried out which identified a fingerprint from the lid of the till.
This was later identified to Lukac.
However, before the forensic results were completed, Lukac left the country.
Almost four years later on October 30, 2024, the 25-year-old came to the attention of officers at Meadowhall shopping centre after they received reports of an alleged shoplifting offence.
After being detained, Lukac was identified as being linked to the 2020 incident and charged with robbery.
After entering a guilty plea at an earlier hearing, Lukac, of Grosvenor Road, Rotherham, was 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."