Five Mitre 10 staff members assaulted during altercation

Staff members at Levin’s Mitre 10 were injured in an assault yesterday. Photo / Google Maps

Five staff members of a North Island Mitre 10 store were assaulted yesterday after confronting a customer allegedly shoplifting.

Store general manager Emma van Echten said a staff member approached a woman believed to be stealing a product and asked her to return the item to the shelf, but the woman reacted angrily.

Other staff members came to help their colleague but were allegedly set upon by two other people, she said.

The three people were persuaded to leave the store and the police were called.

Van Echten was thankful none of the staff involved needed hospital treatment but said the whole team was “shaken” afterwards.

“The safety and wellbeing of our team is always our top priority.

“Our team are still shocked by this unprovoked incident, and we are focusing on supporting [them].”

The store was closed shortly after the alleged assault but reopened yesterday. Additional security is in place 24/7 for the time being, van Echten said.

Police said they were sent to the store after “an altercation between a small group of people and another person in the store” shortly before 3pm on Friday.

“The group left the area in a vehicle,” police said.

A spokesperson said no injuries were reported, and called on anyone with information to contact them.