Cashier begs for life after being confronted by knife-wielding man
A terrified supermarket cashier begged for her life after being cornered by an alleged thief waving a kitchen knife.
Brave staff and customers ran to help risking their own safety to pin down the thug until police arrived.
Initially customers inside the busy IGA store at Resevoir, Melbourne, were oblivious to a the man dressed in a hooded jumper.
However this changed when the man allegedly darted behind a counter waving a knife at the horrified cashier.
“I was petrified, I was scared that he was going to stab me,” Victim Barbara Serratore told 7 News.
“She was very devastated, it was quite scary,” IGA employee Loay Yousif added.
“She had a knife held to her towards her face so it was pretty scary.”
The shocking incident occurred shortly after 11am in broad daylight.
Barbara can be seen on the CCTV footage visibly shaken and trying to back away from the alleged offender.
CCTV also captured the moment she turned to the man and begged him for her life.
A short time later she bravely managed to push past him.
However as the man grabbed the till drawer and tried to make a getaway, vigilant staff and customers acted immediately.
“We pushed him towards the back of the store, yeah put him on the ground and made sure he doesn't run away,” Loay Yousif said.
As staff tackled the alleged offender witnesses ran to call for help. They didn't have to travel far, as a police station is located across the road from the store.
The Moushi brothers have owned the IGA since 1999.
“It never happened, never happened something like this, no,” Fouad Moushi told 7 News.
Barbara said the emotional scars will remain.
Financially, the loss wasn't significant for the store with just five dollars and thirty cents missing from the till.
Police have since charged a 21-year-old man from Eden Park over the incident.
He has been charged with armed robbery and is expected to face court tomorrow.
News break – December 8
