Supercheap Auto worker from viral pram video accepts job at rival Autobarn

The Supercheap Auto employee who was temporarily stood down after trying to stop an alleged shoplifter in a video that went viral has a new job.

A Supercheap Auto employee who was filmed fighting over a pram with an alleged shoplifter has accepted a new job at the company’s rival chain, Autobarn.

It comes after the man was stood down with pay by Supercheap Auto while the company undertook a review into the incident outside a Gold Coast store – which a bystander filmed and put on social media two weeks ago.

The staff member could be seen trying to grab a pram covered with a blanket from a woman, before a box fell out from under the blanket.

The video on TikTok alone has 6.9 million views, with the man attracting lots of praise for how he handled the situation.

Supercheap Auto confirmed to the Gold Coast Bulletin the staff member in the video had decided to leave the business.

The staff member tried to grab the pram from the woman. Picture: TikTok

A box then fell out from under the blanket. Picture: TikTok

It also said the company’s policies and standards “prohibit confronting suspected shoplifters and physical contact with customers”, which were to “protect our team members and customers”.

“We recognise the public interest in this matter but health and safety is paramount and our standards on health and safety are not just words on a page,” a spokesperson said.

“They are central to the way we operate our business.”

When it was reported that the employee had been stood down, many Australians expressed their outrage and some even offered him a job.

One of those people was Autobarn Burleigh Heads owner Michael Farrar, who had said the man was just the employee he was looking for.

“His actions showed to me that he is a loyal person and someone we would want on our team,” he said, adding his store had about $15,000 worth of items stolen in the last two years.

Autobarn Burleigh Heads owner Michael Farrar offered the man a job. Picture: Richard Gosling

Mr Farrar confirmed on Friday the former Supercheap Auto worker was his newest staff member and started next Tuesday.

He told the Bulletin the man was a private person and “pretty upset” after his “life got turned upside down in one fell swoop”.

Employers had also called 2GB radio host Ben Fordham’s program wanting to offer the man a job when the incident was discussed on air.

Fordham said “no way in the world” the worker should have been stood down.

“This guy was doing his job by saying you’re not going to pinch that from the store,” he said speaking on Today Extra on Monday.

“I’ve had people calling in on my radio show saying they’d offer him a job. They would give him a pay rise or a promotion.”

Some social media users said they would boycott the business. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone/NCA NewsWire

Some social media users claimed they would boycott Supercheap Auto.

“Supercheap Auto needs to reinstate the worker and prosecute the shoplifter. It’s not good enough to stand down an employee protecting your business,” one person wrote.

“Damn it Supercheap Auto, give the man a bonus and an award for treating the business as if it was his own. Every business should be so lucky to have employees like this,” another agreed.

The company had said a review was standard practice “after an event of this nature”.

On Monday, a week after the video was shared, police told news.com.au the alleged shoplifting had still not been reported.

A week after the video went viral, police had still not received any report of a shoplifter. Picture: TikTok

The incident

In a viral video taken outside a Gold Coast Supercheap Auto store, a staff member could be seen trying to grab a pram covered with a blanket.

He accused the woman with the pram of stealing from the store and threatened to call the police, as the woman screamed “let my baby go”.

After they both struggled to take control of the pram, a box was knocked to the ground from under the blanket and the woman said: “You can have the f***ing rotor mate.”

It is not clear whether the woman actually had a baby in her pram.

At the end of the video, the staff member followed the woman out of sight into the carpark, while another worker wearing a “Covid safe hygiene marshall” vest picked up the box left behind.