Terrifying moment Woolworths worker attacked at checkout
A 19-year-old female Woolworths worker has suffered a facial injury after she was viciously attacked in the store by a customer.
The horrifying moment a Woolworths employee was viciously attacked by a customer on Friday has been captured on CCTV.
The 19-year-old female worker in the Woolworths Clifford Gardens store in Toowoomba can be seen at the self-checkout area, talking and pointing at something.
Then she is quickly approached by a customer, putting her hands up in self-defence as the offender punches her multiple times, before a male customer intervenes.
The assault only lasts for seconds, after which the attacker is seen running away.
Woman suffers injury from brazen attack
The incident was reported to Queensland Police, with a spokesman revealing to Yahoo News Australia the 19-year-old worker suffered an injury to her face from the attack.
"Police are investigating reports of an assault at an Anzac Ave business on Friday 17 February just after 7pm where a 19-year old woman sustained a facial injury," he said. "Investigations are ongoing, police encourage anyone with information to come forward. Anonymous reports can be made."
Woolworths bans customer from store
A Woolworths spokeswoman told Yahoo News Australia the retailer condemns the customer's behaviour.
"There is no place for this kind of abusive behaviour anywhere in our community," she said. "Our team members do the very best they can to help customers, and deserve to be treated with respect on the job.
"We don’t tolerate abuse in any circumstance and have taken steps to ban the customer from returning to the store."
In instances like this where there are abusive customers, the retailer offers employees access to counselling services as well as ongoing support.
Woolworths launches new range of collectables - here's how to get them
Dramatic scenes outside Darwin Woolworths as tensions flare: 'So sad'
The incident comes only days after a town hall meeting was held in Toowoomba about youth crime skyrocketing in the city. Last Friday, three teenagers were charged with murder after allegedly pushing an elderly man to the ground at a Toowoomba taxi rank.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
