SHOCKING surveillance footage captured the moment a grocery store worker was attacked after trying to stop a suspected shoplifter.
Police are now looking for a group of people who attacked the Ralphs employee in the Encino, California, neighborhood of Los Angeles on Monday.
The attack is believed to have happened around 4:45 p.m., the Fox affiliate reported KTLA-TV.
Two videos of the attack were taken from different angles, with one clip showing three people, a woman and two men, entering the store and approaching a male and female employee.
After just a few seconds, one of the men punches the employee and the two fight briefly out of view of the camera.
However, the fight resurfaces, showing the employee being attacked by several suspects.
Another angle shows the employee ducking and trying to get away from the suspects after the first punch.
At some point, one of the suspects pushed a shopping cart toward the employee.
An employee who provided the video to KTLA told the outlet that the incident began that day.
The worker in the video stopped a young woman from stealing bags full of products.
“A few hours later, the woman returned with the men seen in the video. “We are deeply saddened by a senseless act of violence that occurred yesterday at our Ralphs store in Encino,” a Ralphs spokesperson said in a statement. declaration.
“Safety remains one of our core values and is the top priority. We are working in full cooperation with local authorities to support the ongoing investigation and identify the suspect(s).”
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police The department said officers arrived at the scene but did not confirm any other details.
It is unclear whether the male employee suffered any injuries following the attack.
RETAIL APOCALYPSE
The rise in store robberies has made workers feel unsafe, making it harder to hire more employees, according to a business expert.
“In fact, I have sometimes witnessed some robberies when I have been to the local supermarket. So I know the impact on the community is difficult, especially for Small business owners because they are losing inventory,” said LaShawn Lukes, president of the Hempstead, New York, Chamber of Commerce. News day.
“…Also, it’s a two-sided situation because right now it’s difficult [hire] employees because they don’t feel safe.”
Authorities and retail analysts have noted that understaffing on the factory floor, increased self-checkouts and the high cost of living are reasons for widespread theft.
Employee attacked at Ralphs
Three suspects were involved in an attack on a Ralphs employee after the worker stopped them from stealing.
The suspects fled after the attack and police are now looking for them.
Witnesses were able to take photos of the car the suspects left in, but police have not shared any details at this time.
The LAPD has not released a statement or update on the investigation
Just last month, a Wal-Mart The receptionist was attacked by an angry customer over a receipt check.
Vincent Battaglia, 68, was checking receipts at a store in High Point, North Carolina, when Trevon Waden, 27, allegedly punched him in the eye, according to a police report.
Waden and his girlfriend Tomeisha Robbs, 28, were later arrested at their home.
Police Robbs is said to have become upset when Battaglia asked to see her receipt before telling her boyfriend to “take care of him,” prompting the attack.
The couple received misdemeanor assault charges, while Waden was also charged with failing to appear in court in connection with an unrelated case.
The US Sun has reached out to Ralphs and the LAPD for comment.
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