Supercheap Auto worker stood down after viral video is ‘mentally struggling’

The owner of a rival auto parts store has revealed the worker stood down from SuperCheap Auto this week is “struggling mentally”.

The owner of a rival auto parts store has revealed the worker stood down from SuperCheap Auto this week is “struggling mentally” after his altercation with a woman went viral.

The man, who has yet to be identified, was filmed trying to grab a woman’s pram covered with a blanket outside a Gold Coast store in a video that quickly went viral.

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.”

The pram was understood to have been filled with stolen goods, and didn’t contain a baby at the time.

While the worker was hailed a hero online for his firm approach, it was revealed last week he had been stood down while management conducted a review into the incident.

Autobarn in Burleigh Heads was one of the first to offer him a new job, with owner Michael Farrar saying he was just the type of employee he was looking for.

He told the Daily Mail the man was having a rough time dealing with the attention and loss of work after being thrust into the spotlight.

Mr Farrar said he could not confirm whether the man had accepted his job offer, only mentioning that “positive things” were coming.

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

A spokesperson for Supercheap Auto’s parent company, Super Retail Group, stressed the worker had not been fired and was on full pay while the incident was investigated.

“We are reviewing an incident from last week at one of our stores on the Gold Coast which is standard practice after an event of this nature,” the spokesperson said via Channel 7.

“At all times, we remain focused on the health, safety and wellbeing of our team members and customers.”

Worker flooded with job offers

In addition to the job offer from Autobarn in Burleigh Heads, car wrecking business Southport Auto Recyclers offered the man an interview for a position.

“If anyone knows him tell him to DM us or tag him, we would like to interview him for a position should he require one!” an employee wrote on Facebook.

“After watching the video it’s crazy that Supercheap have stood him down after the commitment to them he demonstrated!”

Employers also called 2GB radio host Ben Fordham’s program wanting to offer the man a job.

Fordham argued there was “no way in the world” he 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 on Today Extra.

“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,” he added.