Arabic version: كولز تعلن ارتفاع التهديدات ضد موظفيها في فيكتوريا

According to ABC News, Coles says threatening incidents against its staff in Victoria have risen 85 per cent over the past two years. The supermarket company said the incidents include verbal assaults, physical altercations and, in some cases, products being used as weapons.

CCTV obtained by 7.30 and recorded during the past four months showed aggressive behaviour at Coles stores. In one incident, a customer armed with a hammer threatened a staff member while leaving a store. In another, a customer threw a security guard into a check-out machine.

Coles chief operations and supply chain officer Matt Swindells said Victoria required more security measures than any other state, including body-worn cameras for staff, motion-detection cameras in aisles and security guards. He said staff and customers were prioritised over stock. Nationally, Coles reported a 65 per cent increase in threatening situations over the same two-year period, while South Australia recorded a 16 per cent decline.

Victoria Police has increased patrols in Melbourne’s CBD high-risk areas since March. Assistant Commissioner Jo Stafford said 260 arrests had been made for offences including theft, assaults and public disorder, while repeat offenders remained a challenge. Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has said workplace protection orders will be operating statewide by July 2027. The orders would allow courts to restrict violent repeat offenders from entering retail stores. Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association Victorian state secretary Michael Donovan called for the measures to begin sooner, particularly before the Christmas period.