A NEW Milton store worker has slammed their company’s “disgusting” response after a colleague was threatened at knifepoint in an attempted robbery.
Brandishing a blade, a balaclava-clad man covered with a bedsheet stormed into the Morrisons Daily on Beechwood Avenue, demanding cash and cigarettes, around 6.45am yesterday (Tuesday).
He fled empty handed when employee, who was on his own, sprayed oven cleaner at him as he tried to jump over the post office counter.
The armed raider targeted Morrisons Daily on Beechwood Avenue in New Milton
But, also hitting out at the police response, the colleague, who asked to remain anonymous, argued the outcome could have been much worse.
They alleged this was due to nightshift officers being reluctant to attend as the day shift was in the process of taking over.
“The police should have just come instantly. He could have been stabbed and bleeding,” the colleague, who was told of the raid afterwards, told the A&T.
“The way that guy was going, according to my colleague, he would have done anything to get behind that counter.
“This guy came into the store wearing a balaclava and covered with a bedsheet, and he threatened my colleague with a knife to get behind the till drawer.
“He tried to climb over the post office counter – we’ve still got the plastic screens up from Covid.
“My colleague had some oven cleaner behind the counter so he used that to spray him back.”
The employee was unhappy with the police response which eventually came after two 999 calls.
He had also pressed the panic button under the counter which, they said, should have seen police immediately alerted.
However, they understood the call was not made by the alarm company until about six minutes later.
“It’s really bad considering this was an armed robbery, and the police didn’t want to come straight away as they were on a shift changeover,” the employee continued.
“The night shift wouldn’t take the job because the day shift was taking over,” they claimed.
“To top it all, the company has been asking when we can open again. They’ve not checked how my colleague was.
“They’ve just said when can we get the shop open because of ‘business needs’.
“My colleague’s shaken up by it.”
The employee, who has worked at the store for over seven years, said this wasn’t the first time they had felt let down by Morrisons’ response.
This included, they said, a lack of concern for store workers subjected to abuse and threats by customers and shoplifters.
The store was last targeted in an armed robbery about eight years ago, involving an armed offender.
“This was just the icing on the cake,” she continued.
“The whole situation is dire. My colleague shouldn’t have been lone-working. The police even asked why he was single-working, with there being a number of alleys in the area – so many getaway routes for offenders.
“For the sake of £11.44 minimum wage to employ another person in the early mornings, not double-manning could have cost him his life.
“Now the store is closed anyway, so that’s a loss.
“The company has not been sympathetic. They just want to make sure the store is open to serve the next customer. They say don’t engage and make sure you follow policy.
“I think it’s disgusting the way we’ve been treated.”
Responding to the criticism, a Morrisons spokesperson said: “We are working closely with the store team to support them and take matters such as this very seriously.
“Our internal teams are reviewing the matter urgently and are working with the store colleagues to support them.”
On officers’ response time, Hampshire police said the offender had already fled the scene by the time they were called.
The force also said that at the time of shift changeovers there were more officers available.
A spokesperson told the A&T: “Our control room continued to review the incident, noting the suspect had already left the premises and continuing to offer safeguarding advice to the victim prior to police attendance within the hour.
“At the time of shift changeovers, we have even more officers on duty and able to respond to any incidents reported to us.”
People are being urged to come forward if they saw any suspicious activity around the time of the raid.
Officers also want to hear from those who have captured useful CCTV, doorbell camera, dash cam or mobile phone camera footage.
Get in touch online via hampshire.police.uk or call 101, quoting reference 44250018287.
Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously via crimestoppers-uk.org or on 0800 555 111.