Guards lay gang tackle
Trio nab alleged thief
A SHOPKEEPER has helped perform a dramatic daylight citizen’s arrest of an alleged shoplifter in central Geelong.
Witnesses watched as two security guards and the retailer wrestled the alleged shoplifter to the ground about 11am yesterday on Malop St, between the Westfield and Market Square shopping centres.
The trio helped pin the man down until passing police stopped and arrested him, amid a volley of screamed obscenities and threats.
Footage of the incident shows the man threatening to kill one of the security guards.
“Get the f--- off, c---”, he screamed. “I’m gonna f---ing kill you, c---.
“If that dog comes near me again I’m gonna bite his nose off,” the shoplifter warned police, referring to a security guard.
Police confirmed the man had been arrested and charged.
“A male in his 20s attended a store just before 11am and stole a number of items,” Leading Senior Constable Adam West said.
“Security approached the man and a scuffle ensued.
“Police arrived and arrested the man who has been charged with theft, assault, resist arrest and possess drug of dependence.”
Geelong Advertiser sports journalist Alex Oates witnessed the dramatic arrest, which he said appeared to have started with the alleged shoplifter being escorted out of Market Square.
“He was being escorted out of Market Square by security and he started acting erratically, swinging his arms at the security guard and screaming obscenities,” Oates said. “He was asked to calm down multiple times but he refused.
“A second security guard came in to help, but they were struggling to pin him down. Then the shopkeeper came rushing in and helped hold him down.
“I noticed the police driving by, so I flagged them down. It took both officers, two security guards and the shopkeeper to get him under control.”
Police were seen sorting through tagged clothing items after the arrest.
The security guard, who declined to speak with the Geelong Advertiser, had a deep red mark on his chin and bloody scratches on his head.
The alleged shoplifter was bailed to appear at Geelong Magistrates’ Court in October.