Two masked individuals attempted a robbery at Macauley Cellars in Kensington, inner west Melbourne, on Sunday evening, hurling wine bottles and threatening a store worker when their demands for alcohol were not met. The incident occurred around 7:45 p.m. when a 22-year-old staff member was working alone.
CCTV footage showed the two thieves entering the store and demanding specific alcoholic beverages, including a 24-pack of what was referred to as '196s' and a 10-pack of Vodka Cruisers. When the employee went to the back of the store, the thieves became agitated, with one yelling threats to burn down the store if his demands were not immediately fulfilled.
The confrontation escalated as one of the thieves picked up a display shelf from the counter and threw it towards the worker, causing bottles of alcohol to shatter. Both individuals then took turns throwing bottles over the worker's head.
After fleeing the store, one of the thieves had to ask the getaway driver to stop, as he had lost his shoes during the escape. The suspects fled in a stolen BMW that was missing license plates.
The manager of Macauley Cellars reported that the thieves demanded spirits, and when the staff member refused, they became angry and damaged the store. The incident forced the store to close for the day to clean up the damage and left the staff member shaken. The manager also noted that the store had been targeted in January 2025 when an ATM machine at the back was ram-raided. He stated that such incidents are becoming more frequent and that other bottle shops are reporting similar experiences.
Victoria Police have since arrested a 16-year-old boy in connection with the attempted robbery. He has been charged with attempted robbery, criminal damage, discharge missile, and throw missile, and was remanded to appear at a children’s court. Authorities are still searching for the second individual involved in the incident.