A 13-year-old boy has been charged with larceny and four other youths remain at large after a Saturday bottle shop raid in southwest Sydney that left store owners and a 20-year-old injured.
Five teenagers entered The Bottle-O Narellan Vale on Holdsworth Drive at about 6.05pm on Saturday, where security footage shows one youth pulling a shirt over his face and two others wearing hoodies. Shop owner Guo, 49, grew suspicious as the group approached.
Youths Force Entry Into Store
Guo rushed to the entrance to tell the group they needed an accompanying adult to enter, but the youths allegedly ignored her and prevented her from closing the shop door.
She called her 20-year-old son, Santiago, for help. Santiago tried to intervene and catch one of the youths, but he was outnumbered by the group.
They just grabbed alcohol and smashed alcohol everywhere. I tried to catch one of the people in the group. I got punched in my left eye, and my vision became blurred. I also had a very serious headache. That’s the first time in my life I’ve been punched, to be honest. I’m a bit scared.
Santiago, via 7NEWS
Guo suffered minor injuries after being pushed and knocked around; she reported that her face and cheek were also attacked. Inside the store, bottles and other items were strewn across the floor alongside liquid from smashed containers.
Bystanders Help Police Arrest Suspect
Members of the public rushed to the scene after hearing Guo scream and held down a 13-year-old boy outside the shop until police arrived.
Authorities granted the teenager conditional bail to appear before a children’s court on November 2. Four other suspects fled the scene and were last seen boarding a bus nearby.
Family Recalls Prior Attacks
The group stole or damaged about $1000 worth of alcohol. Santiago noted that it is very stressful to do business in Australia, especially because of the teenagers,
adding that he recognized some members of the group from at least two prior visits.
The family relocated to Australia from Argentina about five years ago.
Now whenever I see young people, I get scared. I’m worried they’ll steal something or attack someone. They stole things and then attacked people as well. It’s frightening. Now if someone makes a sudden movement, we get nervous and wonder what they’re about to do. We’re always on edge.
Guo, via 7NEWS
The family reported an almost identical previous attack in August, claiming that two of the same boys had stormed their shop to steal items.
Camden Police Area Command established a crime scene and launched an ongoing investigation into Saturday’s incident, appealing for anyone with information, CCTV, or dashcam footage to contact them or reach out to Crime Stoppers.