Video of Robber Being Thwarted by Locked Door Viewed More Than 300k Times

CCTV footage of a would-be thief attempting to steal alcohol before being thwarted by a locked door has gone viral.

The footage was captured from the security camera of alcohol store Bottle-O in Beechboro, Australia.

Staff member Kellie Gordon told local media that they have installed a system that locks the door in the event of a theft, telling thieves they can either leave the alcohol or wait until the police arrive.

The latest footage has been viewed more than 305,000 times and shows a man attempting to walk up to the counter before bolting for the door—only to realize it's locked. The man then walks to the counter to return the alcohol before exiting.

Gordon spoke to 10 News First Perth and said they had had enough of increase in alcohol thefts and wanted to take action. Newsweek has contacted the Bottle-O company via email for comment.

"Even if he tried to open the door, like he did, he wasn't getting out," Gordon said, reflecting on the latest attempt.

"He came to the counter like he was pretending to get served and then made a run for it. He didn't seem aggressive or anything, I wasn't concerned, more of a defeat if anything, I'd say."

Gordon said that since the cost of living crisis, there has been an increase in attempts of robbery. She added that since the security system has been installed the store has saved thousands in stolen stock.

"We just want everyone to know we are not going to stand for it," the staff member said, adding that they hoped other stores introduce this approach.

Some social media users have warned that attempts to stop thieves could leave staff open to violence from the robbers, however.

In the U.S., there have been some instances of staff members being penalized after attempting to stop thieves.

In late May the Lululemon company faced a backlash after reports that two female employees had been fired after attempting to stop shoplifters from stealing at an outlet in Peachtree Corners, Georgia.

Jennifer Ferguson and Rachel Rogers, the two staff in question, were fired by the apparel store for breaching company policy, according to a statement provided to local media.

The store policy states that workers should not put their safety at risk to stop thieves. The two employees said they were subsequently let go without severance pay.