A knife-wielding would-be thief who was allegedly chased from a Canberra cafe when the owner pulled a larger knife has pleaded guilty to the botched crime, reminiscent of a famous scene in the film Crocodile Dundee.
Touhid Rahman, 36, today pleaded guilty in the ACT Supreme Court to a charge of attempted aggravated robbery over an incident in Canberra's south last year.
The facts of the case were still disputed on Friday, but police said Rahman threatened the owner of the La Cruzada Café at knifepoint in September last year, before the man fought back.
It's alleged a balaclava-clad Rahman entered the popular pizzeria in Phillip around 2:00pm, carrying a 20-centimetre knife and a shopping bag.
Court documents said Rahman threatened cafe manager Johan David Cruz Arevalo with the weapon and yelled: "Give me all the money!"
Mr Cruz Alevaro told Rahman he "needed to get the keys", but instead accessed his "knife kit" below the counter.
Rahman then fled the store when the cafe owner brandished a much larger "meat cutting" knife and yelled back: "What do you want, what do you want?"
The allegations were reminiscent of a scene in Crocodile Dundee, in which the title character Mick Dundee scares off an armed mugger by pulling a larger knife on him.
Robber to be sentenced next week
Police alleged Rahman later told a mental health worker that he had taken a balaclava and a knife to a nearby store but was "chased out by someone with a bigger knife".
He was then spotted by police walking near the cafe wearing shoes with alligator logos on them.
It's alleged while being arrested, Rahman yelled in the direction of the cafe, accusing its employees of lacing his pizza with cocaine.
He then told officers he was the most famous person on the planet, and that he was the star of a reality TV show about himself, court documents said.
When asked today by Chief Justice Helen Murrell how he wished to plead to one charge of attempted aggravated robbery Rahman said: "Guilty, please."
He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced next week.
