A WARRNAMBOOL man who pointed a gun at a kindergarten teacher and stole her $40,000 car has pleaded guilty in court.
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Robert Barden, 34, previously of Killarney and Warrnambool, along with co-accused Leigh McElroy and Robert Wallace, appeared in the Melbourne County Court late last week for a plea hearing after lengthy criminal proceedings.
The trio stolen a 2009 SSV Holden Commodore at Piedimonte's Supermarket in Pascoe Vale on July 25, 2015.
Kinda teacher Theresa McLeod told of her ordeal at a Melbourne Magistrates Court committal hearing mid last year.
All three men originally pleaded not guilty to robbery with a gun but were committed to stand trial at the Melbourne County Court.
They are expected to be sentenced in coming weeks.
The rare $40,000 Commodore has never been recovered despite being seen in the Langwarrin area in the weeks after it was stolen.
Police said Barden pointed the gun at Ms McLeod before driving off in the car, which she said her family had saved for years to buy.
"Then I looked and saw a gun pointed at my head," Ms McLeod said.
"I said to the guy with the gun 'take the keys'."
Ms McLeod has received counselling.
Police allege they can link all three men to the crime through evidence found on their mobile phones - including deleted text messages.
They also have recordings made from calls from within prison where Barden was being held on unrelated matters.
