Recent surveillance videos have surfaced, exposing unsettling acts of aggression and violence against employees. In one particularly disturbing scene, a customer is seen forcefully throwing a worker to the ground and dragging them, an attack halted only by the intervention of bystanders.
Chris McKellar, the state general manager for Coles, described the footage as a grim reflection of the challenging situations faced by store employees.
“The situations our staff encounter in stores are truly distressing,” McKellar remarked. “We deal with everything from spitting and hitting to minor theft on a daily basis.”
Statistics have highlighted an increase in retail theft across Victoria, with incidents rising by 6.1% over the past year, culminating in more than 41,000 cases.
“Anything from spitting, to hitting, petty crime we see on a day-to-day basis.”
New stats reveal retail theft is climbing in Victoria, rising by 6.1 per cent in the last year, with over 41,000 incidents recorded.
The partnership between the supermarket giant and the state’s crime watchdog will educate Victorians on gift card scams, organised retail crime, and how to de-escalate harmful behaviour.
It is designed to raise awareness of the risk retail workers face.
“[It’s] important to remember retail workers are mums and dads, bros and sisters, aunts and uncles,” McKellar said.
“They deserve the right to get out of bed each morning, go to work and be safe.”
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
