Worker assaulted at shopping centre

THE serious assault of a Coles Supermarket worker came as police decided to step up their patrols around Hampton Park Shopping Centre.
A 21-year-old man employed by Coles was on a break and sitting in his car with a friend at 2.45am on Sunday, 18 February in the car park at Hampton Park.
He had the window down and was listening to music when a white Holden station wagon drove past and the driver yelled out to him before driving around the car park.
The station wagon then returned and the two men inside got out and approached the employee’s car. Police said they began provoking the victims asking questions like ‘what are you looking at?’ and ‘do you have a problem?’
The men approached, one on each side of the car, and the passenger of the station wagon assaulted the victim as he sat in the driver’s seat.
He punched him several times to the face and the victim was taken to the Dandenong Hospital with a broken nose, cuts to the mouth and severe bruising.
The offender was described as wearing a pink T-shirt and both men were Caucasian. The scene was witnessed by several people.
Last week Victoria Police announced it would be targeting anti-social behaviour in and around the Hampton Park shopping precinct, particularly after school hours.
Anyone with more information is asked to contact Senior Constable Peter Pryce-Lewis at Cranbourne Uniform on 5991 0600 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.