Shocking footage has emerged of the moment an elderly pharmacist was left with severe facial injuries after he was punched in the face by a man he was trying to remove from his store.
Russell Frajman, 65, was trying to remove the man in high‑vis from his St Kilda pharmacy on Tuesday when the thug approached him and swung at his face while taunting, 'Ring the coppers.'
After the heavy blow, the man left the store as Mr Frajman walked away, clutching his face in pain.
He was left badly bruised, with cuts to his left eye and broken glasses.
Mr Frajman's wife, Charlotte, told 9News her husband was blindsided by the punch.
'We've both been attacked in the pharmacy in the past, so we both have our wits about us,' she said. 'But we just didn't see it coming.'
The distressed couple waited 24 hours for police to arrive on scene, as officers were 'tied up with multiple incidents,' a police spokesperson told the media.
Charlotte, speaking to 3AW, said the 'diabolical' incident was made worse because police took so long to get there.
Russell Frajman, 65, was trying to remove the man for suspected shoplifting when the man approached him and punched him in the face
Mr Frajman was left badly bruised with cuts to his left eye and broken glasses
His wife Charlotte said the couple waited 24 hours for police to arrive on scene
'To wait more than five hours after reporting on Triple‑Zero an actual assault of a community pharmacist... and to have followed up with two phone calls directly to St Kilda police to say - what's going on? How long are we meant to wait?' she said.
Mr Frajman then attended the police station himself to report the attack.
On Thursday morning, Victoria Police confirmed to the Daily Mail that a 39‑year‑old man has been arrested in connection with the alleged attack.
'Last night, police were called to a licensed venue on Watton Street in Werribee to reports of a man behaving erratically,' a statement from Victoria Police reads.
'Officers attended and arrested a Tarneit man after it was identified he was a person of interest in relation to the incident in St Kilda.
'The man was deemed unfit for interview last night. It is expected he will be interviewed today.'
Anyone who witnessed the incident, has dashcam/CCTV footage, or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.