A Gold Coast shop owner has been charged for allegedly punching a 13-year-old girl who had stolen an icecream.
Chieng Xing chased the teenager from his Lucky 7 convenience store in Southport, Queensland before allegedly striking her in front of shocked witnesses.
"He's punched her several times in the head and around the body and grabbed her by her hair," Snr Sgt Tony Wormald alleged.
Mr Xing replayed the movements of two girls inside his shop on the store's CCTV before he set chase.
The footage shows the 13-year-old girl appear to hide the icecream under her shirt as Mr Xing is distracted by her companion.
The frustrated shop owner called police to report the girl but when they arrived, officers charged him with assault occasioning bodily harm.
Mr Xing says his store has been a target of petty thieves, adding that he was assaulted by another shoplifter he tried to stop several months ago.
The 13-year-old was taken to hospital with an elbow injury. She was given a warning by police after showing signs of remorse.
"I spoke to the victim in the back of ambulance and she did indicate she had a change of heart, she knew it was the wrong thing," Snr Sgt Wormald said.
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