‘Everyone could have been killed’: Northland shop owner speaks out after teen rampage

3 hours ago 4

A Northland supermarket owner says he feared for his life when a group of armed teenagers brandishing crowbars and bats stormed his store, smashing shelves and attacking staff in what he believes was a violent revenge attack.

Homer, the owner of Fortune Asian Supermarket in Preston’s Northland Shopping Centre, described the terrifying Monday night rampage, telling Nine News the trio – wielding crowbars, bats, and what he believed to be a machete – terrorised staff and shoppers.

A teenager is seen wielding a crowbar during the supermarket attack.

“They started smashing the shop and then our team tried to stop [them],” Homer said.

“They kicked our team members and also tried to hurt everyone.”

The attack came hours after an earlier incident that morning, when a teenage girl vandalised the store and threw merchandise at a cashier. Security escorted her out, but Homer said she returned around 7pm with two others – this time armed with crowbars and bats.

“When we see all the weapons, we think our lives [are] in danger. We have no idea how to stop them,” he said.

“Everyone could have been killed because they have weapons, and we don’t.”

In front of stunned shoppers, the teens tore through the store, destroying shelves, stock, and registers. Homer said one staff member was kicked in the back twice and later went to hospital.

The trio fled in a black sedan before police arrived, with officers confirming police are investigating the assault and criminal damage incident.

Despite the chaos, Homer and his team stayed behind to clean up and reopen the store the next day.

Homer describes the attack that happened inside his supermarket.

Homer said his family business was already struggling due to ongoing theft and violence at the centre, adding there’s been little improvement since the introduction of the government’s new bail reforms.

“.… People get caught in the morning, and they are out in the afternoon,” he said. “These criminals just come back”

Since a machete brawl inside the centre in May that triggered a full lockdown and sent panicked shoppers running, Homer said sales have plunged.

“We are just all barely surviving,” he said. “Since May, every day it could be an incident.”

Despite feeling unsafe, Homer said he has no choice but to keep going.

“[I’m] just very upset, but I need to keep going for my family … my family is my main path, I will do anything for them.”

In a statement, Northland Shopping Centre confirmed security responded to the incident, but the teens fled before they arrived. The centre also disputed some of the details.

“I would like to clarify that we are not aware of any information suggesting that the alleged offenders were armed with machetes,” the centre said in a statement.

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