Overview
- Police allege the group entered the North East Road store about 5:15pm Sunday, stole alcohol and assaulted a staff member and a 75-year-old customer, reportedly using broken bottles.
- Store CCTV captured the young worker being punched and kicked, and the elderly customer was thrown to the ground after trying to intervene.
- Northern and Eastern District patrols arrested four suspects after a short foot chase and located a fifth during a wider search.
- Those charged include two 13-year-old girls, a 14-year-old boy, a 15-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man, with the 15-year-old also charged with theft and two counts of aggravated assault.
- The two victims suffered head and facial injuries that were not life-threatening, while the shop owner condemned the attack and the Police Minister cited falling robbery statistics.