Lesbian couple ‘wielded an axe and knives’ in spree of alleged armed robberies

Sydney lesbian couple Sarah Canceri and Eleanor Ashford

A lesbian couple in Sydney, Australia, allegedly committed three armed robberies in one night, stealing money and cigarettes from service stations.

Eleanor Ashford and Sarah Canceri, both 23, were arrested in the early hours of Saturday (27 March) after allegedly robbing three service stations in southwest Sydney armed with knives, a hammer and an axe.

According to police, officers were called to the first service station at around 11.45pm on Friday when a hold-up alarm was activated, and were told that two armed women disguised with scarves had made off with cash and cigarettes in a Mitsubishi Lancer.

Less than an hour later, police were called to another service station, after reports that there had been another robbery by two women armed with an axe and knives who had also fled in the same car, again stealing money and cigarettes.

At 1.15am, authorities received a third call, this time reporting that two women had threatened employees with a hammer before stealing money.

Police located the car 15 minutes later, and arrested Ashford and Canceri. In the car, they found knives, an axe, cash and cigarettes.

The couple appeared in Parramatta Bail Court in Sydney on Saturday, and have been remanded in custody.

Ashford’s father, according to the Daily Mail, is a respected surgeon in the local area, and he told the court that he would drive her to the police station every day if she were released on bail. Although Ashford was granted bail, the request was withdrawn shortly afterwards by her solicitor.

Canceri, a make-up artist, did not request bail and will appear in Liverpool Local Court on Monday (29 March), while Ashford’s court date has been set for May 19.

According to Canceri’s Instagram account, the couple, who were first pictured together in July last year, went on a rock climbing date the same day that the robberies took place.