Unfortunately, retail staff sometimes have to deal with unpleasant customers as part of the job. These encounters may occasionally escalate, requiring public or even police intervention.
Such was the case for Jenny Lee, the manager of Sauce Legend, a shop at Jewel Changi Airport.
A woman recently came into her store and destroyed numerous items before assaulting Ms Lee, dragging her out by the hair.
Source: Sauce Legend on Facebook
The manager suffered minor injuries and stated that she still feels scared as a result of the trauma she experienced during the frightful incident.
Shin Min Daily News reports that the attack occurred at about 1pm on Saturday (27 Aug) at Sauce Legend, a boutique by brewery Nanyang Sauce on the first level of Jewel Changi Airport.
Ms Lee said that she was the only one on duty when a woman in her 50s or 60s suddenly rushed into the premises.
Without saying a word, she flipped a table and smashed various other items, including a trophy, before turning to leave.
Sauce Legend later took to Facebook to inform customers that they will be closing the shop for the rest of the day due to the incident.
They also posted a photo showing the extent of the damage, including a table lying on its side and a rice cooker on the floor. Several sauce bottles were also shattered.
Source: Sauce Legend on Facebook
In her own Facebook post, Ms Lee said that the trophy was the Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award, which the National Heritage Board gave to Nanyang Sauce owner Tan Poh Choo last year.
She called it “the most valuable item” in the shop.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, Ms Lee shared that she tried to prevent the woman from leaving after the rampage.
However, the woman then grabbed Ms Lee’s hair and pulled her all the way outside the shop, refusing to let go. Shocked and frightened, Ms Lee then screamed for help.
“Her strength was so great that I couldn’t break free,” the manager recalled. “I was scared and humiliated, as if I had done something wrong and was being paraded through the streets.”
Fortunately, brave members of the public stepped in to try and stop the assault before it could escalate any further.
According to 8world, two men tried to persuade the woman to let go of Ms Lee. She only stopped and ran off after a bigger-sized man came over to intervene.
Ms Lee then quickly returned to the store to call the police.
While her head hurts a little from having her hair pulled, she is generally fine, at least physically speaking.
She received a clean bill of health after seeing the doctor but still has lingering fears whenever she recalls what happened.
Although the motive behind the attack is still unclear, Ms Lee told 8world that she recognised the woman, who had visited the store at least twice between June and July.
Ms Lee said that she remembers her because the woman would come into the boutique, say a few words, and then leave. The woman spoke incoherently and Ms Lee had trouble understanding her.
That day was the first time the woman had behaved so aggressively.
Despite her trauma, Ms Lee is very grateful to the customers, bystanders, and Jewel Changi Airport staff who came over to help her during the ordeal.
Police have confirmed that an investigation into the incident is currently ongoing.
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Featured image adapted from Sauce Legend on Facebook.
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