18 December 2023 , 14:47
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A Lidl worker was reportedly drenched in petrol whilst other staff and customers had diesel hurled towards them during an frightening armed robbery inside the store.
Police rushed to the Dowlais branch in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, after they were called to the alarming encounter on Saturday at around 5.15pm. Officers arrested a 54-year-old local on suspicion of robbery on Monday morning. He is now in custody.
South Wales Police said the suspect demanded cash from the till register and threatened other workers and customers. He managed to steal around £500. However, several items have been retrieved for forensic examination. Detective Sergeant Tony Watts said: "This was an extremely frightening incident for staff and shoppers at the Lidl store. One man has been arrested and an investigation is continuing."
A Lidl Spokesperson told The Mirror: "The safety and security of our colleagues is an absolute priority, and we were shocked by this terrible incident. Whilst we’re thankful that no colleagues or customers were seriously hurt, we are assisting the police in their investigations and providing our full support to colleagues who were present at the time."
Last month, Lidl announced it had become the first supermarket to start the rollout of body cameras across all its stores to ensure the safety of both staff and customers. The supermarket chain confirmed stores will begin to receive the security measures following an investment of more than £2 million. The full rollout is expected to be complete by Spring 2024. It was reported that all workers would have to undergo training to ensure the tech equipment is used in the correct way, with individual's privacy in mind.
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Ryan McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer, at Lidl GB, said at the time: “As a business with over 960 stores across the length and breadth of the country, safety and security has always been an absolute priority for us. While our stores are typically safe environments, retail crime is something that is impacting the whole industry. Our investment into ensuring all our stores have body-worn cameras is just one of the ways we’re taking action to protect and provide reassurance to our colleagues and customers.”
He added: “It is essential that the industry comes together to find new and innovative ways to combat serious and organised retail crime across the UK. Amongst our own initiatives, we’re proud to be part of Project Pegasus, which presents a real opportunity for retailers, police forces, and the Home Office to work together to address the alarming rise of incidents facing retail workers every day.” Anyone with information regarding the armed robbery is urged to contact South Wales Police by calling 101 and quoting reference number 2300427053. The Mirror has contacted Lidl for comment.