A SECURITY guard is recovering after being threatened with a screwdriver when he challenged a shoplifter outside a Bournemouth department store.

After pulling out the weapon in his bid to escape, the thief then assaulted the guard, by scratching his eye with his hand.

Yesterday, the security worker was recovering at home from a scratched eyeball, after receiving treatment at Poole Hospital.

It is hoped he will make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, Dorset Police have opened an investigation and have appealed for any witnesses, or anyone who recognises the suspect in the CCTV footage released to contact them urgently.

The shocking incident took place outside the main doors of Debenhams, Bournemouth Square, in the middle of the afternoon.

Instore CCTV operators had spotted a man acting suspiciously in the perfume section of the department store, and when they contacted security staff on the shop floor, the shoplifter was approached.

After the violent struggle, in plain view of town centre shoppers, the offender ran off towards Richmond Hill.

Bournemouth Business Reducing Crime (BBRC) crime manager Kevin Strudwick told the Daily Echo: “We find in the town centre, especially what we are dealing with, violent crime is quite rare. It tends to be flight rather than fight.

“We are dealing with a lot of people who are stealing to fund drug habits.

“These are desperate individuals and some of them, with particularly bad habits, need to steal a lot.

“Depending on the circumstances, sometimes if they feel they are trapped in a corner, they will lash out.

“Historically staff have been threatened with screwdrivers, syringes, fists, but up until this one, we’ve not had any incidents of town centre staff being injured for quite a while though, probably a couple of years.”

However, Mr Strudwick told the Echo dealing with theft from businesses is a daily battle in Bournemouth town centre.

And the BBRC is doing what it can to combat the shoplifters.

“We work together closely within the town,” he explained: “If someone gives a shout out to say we have a situation, there are other people coming to assist. We work together in partnership with all the stores.

“We also share intelligence, information.”

Shoplifters caught in the act can be banned from all town centre stores.

Mr Strudwick said: “The fact this attack has happened shows that you just cannot predict what happens.

“You may think you are going to approach an individual and they are going to put their hands up and be compliant. But in this particular instance, for some reason this individual has decided that is not what he wants to do - so he has lashed out and someone has been badly injured.”

The incident took place outside Debenhams, Bournemouth Square, at 3.50pm on Thursday, July 19. The suspect is white, aged in his late 30s, stocky build with dark hair. He wore a white t-shirt, blue shorts and carried a bag