Bakery Owners Targeted in Brazen Robbery, Fear for Safety

Owners of a Vietnamese bakery in Wallsend are fearful for their safety after a brazen daylight robbery in which masked thieves threw bread rolls at them before escaping with cash.

Thi Ha and her husband Minh Nguyen were preparing to open Wallsend Bakery, west of Newcastle, shortly after 5 a.m. on Saturday when two masked individuals entered the store. The couple reported that the offenders appeared to be men and were carrying knives.

CCTV footage captured the incident, showing a light-colored vehicle parked outside the bakery before two figures in hoodies entered the Nelson Street business. One suspect went behind the counter and took money from the till into a bag, while the other stood watch near the door. Mr. Nguyen, alerted by the commotion on CCTV from the kitchen, confronted the individuals. One of the thieves then threw bread rolls from a nearby shelf at Mr. Nguyen and his wife before they fled to the car and drove off with approximately $250.

Despite being shaken, the couple continued their business operations on Saturday. "We actually [do] not feel safe anymore," they stated on social media, noting that a previous "incident" occurred at the bakery in September. "It's really difficult for us after the event happened a few weeks ago. Then now it happen[s] again but getting worse.

They added, "[It's] really hard for small businesses [to] keep their work nowadays. Stay safe everyone."

Local Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery expressed support for the family, calling the attack "abhorrent" and emphasizing that small business owners deserve to feel safe. "As small business owners, they deserve to be safe in our community. If you are able, please show your support for this wonderful small business," Hornery said.

NSW Police confirmed that no arrests have been made. In response to the incident, the bakery owners are considering delaying their 6 a.m. opening time as a safety precaution.

Ms. Ha told news.com.au that while money was lost in the robbery, the community's outpouring of support has been significant. "We lost some money (from the robbery) but we received a lot of love from the community," she said. "We had lots of customers, new and old, cheering us and checking in on us." The couple plans to donate money received from the community to charity. "Me and my husband said that with all the money given to us we will put into a charity, to go to a lot of people who need it better than us, we are still working, we can make money."

Authorities are urging anyone with information or relevant footage to contact Crime Stoppers.