A quick robbery that lasted about 30 seconds will end with a Moose Jaw man spending the next two years of his life in a federal penitentiary.
A 7-Eleven in Weyburn was James Sippola's first target and originally the only target for his get rich quick scheme.
On July 30 at about 1 a.m. Sippola entered the Weyburn 7-Eleven wielding a long-bladed knife and dressed in a long coat, toque, sunglasses and scarf obscuring his face. He demanded the cash from the register and the clerk handed over $65, showing him the till was empty except for change.
Sippola then left the store. He was going to go back home to Moose Jaw but because he had hoped his efforts would be a little more fruitful, he decided to drive to Estevan to find some more cash.
He found a 7-Eleven in Estevan and entered the store at about 2:15 a.m. He left less than a minute later, with an undisclosed amount of money and the store clerks called police.
It didn't take police long to find a vehicle parked with a lone male occupant who matched the description given to them. He was arrested and quickly admitted to both robberies.
In Estevan provincial court on Aug. 1, just two days after the incidents, Sippola pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery while two counts of being disguised while committing an indictable offence were stayed by the Crown.
Sippola appeared before the court in custody and was prepared to keep it that way with sentencing going ahead the same day. Represented by Legal Aid, his defence and the Crown presented a joint submission to presiding Judge Ernie Bobowski suggesting a two-year federal penitentiary prison term, which the judge accepted.
The 19-year-old army reservist had started a new job at a local oilfield construction company just two days before his decision to rob the pair of convenience stores.
