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Woman smashes her way into Adelaide store in random attack

Footage has emerged of the moment a woman randomly grabs a chair and smashes her way into an Adelaide city store.

The incident is the latest in a string of violent attacks on staff, with figures showing one in three South Australian retail workers have been subjected to violence or abuse from customers.

“It’s yet another example of the certain customer violence and abuse that many retail workers across South Australia are subjected to on a daily basis,” Shop Workers Union spokesperson Josh Peak said.

“Retail workers are particularly under threat because they often work in open, exposed and high-risk environments.”

The woman can be seen using the chair to smash the front door. Source: 7 News
The woman can be seen using the chair to smash the front door. Source: 7 News

In the latest footage, the woman can be seen walking outside the Adelaide CBD café, before she picks up a chair and continually smashes it against the shop’s front door.

The woman then enters shop and assaults a staff member, who was cleaning inside the store, before leaving.

The two staff members inside at the time have been praised for their efforts in preventing the situation from escalating further.

A separate violent encounter is caught on CCTV. Source: 7 News
A separate violent encounter is caught on CCTV. Source: 7 News

The union has encouraged all employers to make sure staff are safe in the workplace by installing extra security like duress alarms or secondary exits.

While retail staff continue to come under threat, the violence isn’t limited to shops with emergency service workers also targeted.

Footage has also emerged of a violent attack in the waiting room at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

“These attacks aren’t limited to restaurants, they even stretch to hospitals,” Mr Peak said.

Footage of an attack at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Source: 7 News
Footage of an attack at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Source: 7 News