Four men, armed with a sledgehammer, tomahawk, axe and hammer, terrorised staff and customers at a Melton South liquor shop about a fortnight ago.
Security footage shows the men running into the Bottlemart store at 6.20pm on Friday, November 25, with one jumping the counter and smashing items.
The others followed suit and began threatening staff by smashing cigarette cabinets and waving their weapons above staff members’ heads.
Store manager Jay Bisset pressed the ‘panic button’, which activated the alarm and alerted police as the men forced staff and a customer into a corner of the shop.
The thugs then started breaking cabinets to steal cigarettes, smashing vending machines and breaking bottles of alcohol.
A glass shard from one of the smashed alcohol bottles hit a staff member.
Mr Bisset said the ordeal lasted about four minutes but felt as though it went for at least 20. He said the invaders ran around, causing havoc.
“It was a bit of a shock,” he said. “You see these things on the news and it happens fairly regularly, but until it happens to you you don’t think anything of it.
“It all happened really quickly, it was like a tornado.”
Mr Bisset said the four stole large quantities of cash and cigarettes, but he was yet to determine the value of damage caused to the store.
Security footage shows the men filling a large sack with cigarettes.
Detective Senior Constable Daniel Basile, of the Darebin crime investigation unit, said police didn’t believe the men were linked to any other armed robberies in Melton and were likely not from the area. The men, who are believed to be of African appearance, wore dark-coloured clothing and white masks.
Detective Senior Constable Basile described the offending as “aggressive” and urged anyone with information to come forward.
“While they were inside, they were terrorising staff and customers,” he said. “They were smashing and throwing around alcohol bottles.”
It’s believed the men escaped in a white sedan parked nearby.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
