By JESSE GRAHAM
A MAN has been taken to Maroondah Hospital for mental health treatment after abusing staff members and customers this morning at Healesville’s Coles supermarket.
Coles employee and Mail journalist Jodie Symonds said that about 6.10am on Wednesday 30 September, a man approached her counter at the supermarket before swearing at and abusing staff members.
Ms Symonds said the man made accusations at staff that they had not given him his groceries the night beforehand, and became angry when asked to come back to the store later to speak to a manager.
She said the man then left, before returning with a coffee and yelling at customers walking in, one of whom told Ms Symonds that they felt unsafe and asked for police to be called.
Ms Symonds said the same man allegedly followed another member of staff at the supermarket before 5am – the staff member ran to their car and drove to a staff entrance.
Healesville police attended the incident, and Senior Constable Kirsty Swankie said the man, a 41-year-old who is not from Healesville, had been suffering from mental health issues.
“He has been taken down to Maroondah Hospital, where he’s getting treatment,” Sen Const Swankie said.
She said that criminal charges for damage were expected to be laid against the man, but that those charges were unrelated to the Coles incident.
