Safety auditor’s arm broken by teen on e-scooter at Macquarie Centre

A 68-year-old whose arm was broken at a north west Sydney shopping centre after being pushed over by a teen on an e-scooter said security ‘failed to act’.

Cairns resident 68-year-old Graham Bell said he visited Macquarie Centre in Macquarie Park when a teenager on an e-scooter assaulted him and broke his arm. Picture: Supplied

A man who claims his arm was broken by a teen speeding through a Sydney shopping centre on a escooter has called for more enforcement on rules banning them from public spaces.

Graham Bell, 68, was visiting the Macquarie Centre to pick up some dinner on July 8 when he said he spotted “an electric scooter coming towards me quite fast”.

Mr Bell claimed the teenage rider brushed past him on an e-scooter before “he came back the other way from behind and hit me from behind and knocked me over”.

“I landed on the ground in a bit of a heap and he’d gone by the time I could pick myself up,” Mr Bell said.

The injured man was spoken to by security guards, who “encouraged” him to approach police at the centre’s food court.

Cairns resident 68-year-old Graham Bell said he visited Macquarie Centre and a teenager on an e-scooter assaulted him and broke his arm. Picture: Supplied

The officers directed him to go to a police station and make a statement, but “in a bit of a daze”, Mr Bell first took himself to hospital, where scans revealed he had a broken arm and significant bruising.

It is illegal to ride privately owned e-scooters in public places in NSW, and no e-scooter rental operators currently operate in the area around Macquarie Centre.

Mr Bell, who is visiting Syney for work, has reported the incident to police and criticised the response of security guards inside the centre.

A safety and quality auditor by trade, he said he expected centre security “would notice somebody riding around on a scooter and have already been in the process of looking to do something about it rather than waiting for something to happen”.

“It took about 20 minutes for the security guard to turn up,” Mr Bell said.

Mr Bell said the security guard who did show up told him “it took him a while to find the spot”.

Graham Bell said he visited Macquarie Centre and a teenager on an e-scooter assaulted him and broke his arm. Picture: Supplied

“He also said that there were two guys in the office watching the cameras that were closer.”

A Macquarie Centre spokesman said the centre was aware of the incident, and “security personnel promptly attended the scene and provided assistance to the customer involved”.

“In line with our standard operating procedures, we offered to call an ambulance but the individual declined the offer,” the spokesman said.

Mr Bell took this photo after a teenager on an e-scooter assaulted him and broke his arm. Picture: Supplied

“The safety and welfare of our customers, retailers and employees is our top priority.”

The spokesman did not respond to specific questions about the e-scooter use or the security expectations visitors can have inside the centre.
Mr Bell has reported the incident to the police but has not yet made a formal statement due to travel for work.

First aid trainer Andrew Brayshaw said he also “nearly got taken out” by teenagers on e-scooters in the shopping centre on Sunday.
“If I hadn’t moved out of the way they would most probably have run into me,” he said.

“[I] must admit over the past few months I have seen an increase in scooters including electric ones in shopping centres. Although it’s obvious that they should not be ridden in shopping centres there is no signage saying so.”
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Originally published as Safety auditor’s arm broken by teen on e-scooter at Macquarie Centre