“The employee at the store is receiving medical attention and will be provided with support.”

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said they sent one ambulance to the scene around 7.30pm.

Duty manager Manikanth Varadharajulu told the Herald around 7.15pm a person came into the store, picked up a bottle and tried to run away with it.

“The employee tried to understand what was happening. All of a sudden, the person who was doing the shoplifting took a bottle and hit my staff member on the head.”

Varadharajulu said the staff member’s ear was cut during the robbery and was “bleeding pretty badly”.

Varadharajulu said it was the fourth robbery in the last month.

He said his staff wanted to feel safe going to work.

“We don’t want to be in that speculating mind saying is anything bad going to happen, should I be prepared better?”

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