A 75-year-old man was allegedly attacked with a cricket bat after confronting a suspected thief at a Salvation Army charity bin in Mentone, Melbourne.
The assault happened on Florence Street shortly after 6pm on Monday, according to Victoria Police. The man had reportedly taken photographs of the alleged theft before challenging the 30-year-old, who police allege armed himself with a bat taken from the bin.
The pensioner was repeatedly struck and fell to the ground with a concussion. Police said he was also threatened and ordered to hand over his phone.
Witnesses described hearing the injured man calling for help. Brandon Veza said: “He was laying on the ground, like screaming for help. He looked very injured.”
Another witness, Alexandra Arvanitis, said the man was crying and telling those around him: “This has broken my spirit and nothing breaks my spirit.”
Veza and Arvanitis called emergency services as two tradesmen intervened. The alleged attacker attempted to leave after dropping the bat, but one of the men seized it and struck him before the pair restrained him in a citizen’s arrest.
“He was just saying, please don’t leave me. Please call my wife,” Veza said.
The injured man was taken to hospital with injuries described by police as non-life-threatening. He has since returned home to recover.
The alleged attacker, named as 30-year-old Damian Adams, was arrested and charged with attempted armed robbery, assault and affray. Victoria Police said he had four outstanding warrants and was also accused of attacking another elderly man earlier this year. ([police.vic.gov.au](https://www.police.vic.gov.au/man-hit-charges-following-mentone-attempted-armed-robbery?utm_source=openai))
Adams was remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and was refused bail, police said.
The victim’s wife returned to the charity bin on Tuesday morning and left a note thanking “those beautiful, strong, good Samaritans” who she said had saved her husband’s life.
